Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 7: It’s that time of the year again when families, if they haven’t already, begin chalking out vacation plans for the summer.
May is the most preferred time for families to go on vacation for two reasons. First is the insufferable heat (it being the hottest month in the calendar), which makes people want to go to cooler climes even if it is just for a week. The second reason is children get long summer breaks from school, and there can be usually no better time to go on a holiday than when studies are usually the last thing on the kids’ minds.
“I have two kids studying at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Kharavel Nagar. Their school is closed for 50 days starting from the first week of May. This is the best time for us to plan a long vacation. This will help our children as well as my husband and I to get that much-needed break and refresh ourselves,” says Priyanka Mahapatra, a resident of Sahid Nagar.
Like Priyanka, many parents are checking with tour operators to finalise their itineraries for a hassle-free trip. While some plan on heading to the Himalayas, others are looking to brave the heat and explore the fantastic temples that dot the southern parts of the country.
“Enquiries for trips during summer vacations have gone up in the last ten days. Many people are contacting us for suggestions on ideal tourist destinations and also to book tickets for the same. The most sought-after booking time is between the first week of May and the second week of June. We suggest destinations according to their preference,” says Subhashree Bhanja, executive director of IS Travel World, a tour operator agency.
Many travel operators however feel tourists are mostly unwilling to explore destinations other than the familiar hotspots of Shimla and Darjeeling. “During summer, most travellers prefer to visit either the Shimla-Manali -Srinagar circuit, or Darjeeling and nearby hill stations. We’ve been witnessing this trend for years. Those wanting to travel abroad mostly opt for Thailand, Malaysia and other South-east Asian countries as they are cheap and not too far away,” says Pratap Padhi from Swosti India Holidays.
“The early bird gets the worm,” quips Biswa Ranjan, owner of Reliable Holidays. “Those wanting to travel by train should have booked much earlier as there won’t be vacant seats anymore. Late planners will suffer as they will have to shell out more, be it towards flight tickets or at hotels. May/June is peak tourist season across the country, and those looking to travel should have made their plans much in advance,” Ranjan says.