Staycations to nearby drivable places for Christmas, New Year’s Eve record rise in popularity

Pune: Koregaon Park-based couple Sanjana and Rohit Dholke, both HR professionals, have cancelled their plan to ring in the New Year at their favourite beach in Goa this year. Instead, the couple will simply head to a friend's home in Lonavla. "We have made it a point to be at Benaulim Beach in South Goa on New Year's Eve for the past five years. This time, however, we changed the plan as we don't need any rude surprises. Recently, thousands of flyers faced major issues due to IndiGo flight issues, and that has made us sceptical. It was a pleasant surprise when our friend invited us to his farmhouse, and we immediately agreed," the couple said.
Prashik Mehta and his six friends, who had plans to travel to Delhi, dropped them and instead, booked a small villa in Mulshi via a travel company. They intend to spend three days starting Dec 30 in the lap of nature. "Delhi is cold and flights are risky due to bad weather causing cancellations. Also, we just didn't want to fly out after the recent fiasco for some time at least. Taking a risk and getting stranded is unwanted. The distance from Pune to Mulshi is just around 48km, and we will drive," said Mehta, a working professional and Kothrud resident. ‘Staycations' to picturesque and drivable spots near the city have spiked in popularity this year for Christmas and New Year's Eve, said travel companies and agents. Rikant Pittie, CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip, told TOI that the interest is significant. "Staycations and short drivable getaways from Pune and across Maharashtra have surged sharply, with around 60-70% of all road travel now consisting of trips under 48 hours. We are seeing a significant share of travellers preferring one to three-day trips, often booked within the same week," he said. Asked about the aftereffects of the recent IndiGo crisis, he added that smart travelling is the preferred option now. "A key outcome has been the emergence of smarter and more flexible travel choices. Many Pune holiday-goers are now also discovering efficient train options and convenient drivable getaways across Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka, ensuring that celebrations remain on track. Despite recent flight disruptions, travel from Maharashtra, especially Pune, is already bouncing back. Although some routes briefly saw fare spikes, prices are beginning to stabilise," he told TOI. Ashwin Dixit, a private sector employee who had an invitation from a friend based in Kolkata, disagreed. "A round trip back home currently comes to Rs29,000. I cannot afford the same, and have to politely decline invitations," the Vimannagar resident said. His friend Manav Ekka, who wanted to go to his cousin's place in Kochi, agreed. "A round trip came to Rs30,000. I heard about the airfare cap but wonder if it is being applied," he said. Travel companies, however, said none of this means that people are not travelling at all. Karan Agarwal, director of Cox and Kings, said, "While there have been disruptions in planning recently, the overall travel demand is strong. The situation has reinforced a trend towards more flexible trip planning, with many travellers opting for shorter, simpler itineraries that can be booked and modified quickly." But he also added that there has been a marked acceleration in demand for staycations and drivable getaways. "Prices for staycations, hotels, and on-ground experiences have risen sharply across many destinations. There is a surge in interest for road-accessible stays, with the same increasing by 20-40% compared with pre-disruption periods. Popular drivable hotspots from Pune include Lonavla, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Karjat, Nashik, and Alibaug," he said.

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