Deepavali weekend witnesses surge in tourist activities 

Deepavali is just around the corner and people are keen to make the most of this weekend holidays. Tourism is seeing a surge with some looking to go home for the festival, and others are looking to explore various tourist destinations. The demand has been so much that local tour operators are struggling to arrange for resources for those who are booking trips. 

“Business is booming this Deepavali. We are seeing a lot of tourists from the northern part of the country. The tourists are preferring to travel to the Mysuru – Kodagu, Mysuru – Ooty – Kodaikanal belt mostly. However, we are facing a shortage of vehicles now as some vehicles had to be sold during the pandemic,” said a tour operator from Vidyaranyapura. 

Another tour operator in Matthikere also mentioned that there is a shortage of drivers too as some quit their jobs and went back home in the last two years. “We had not expected this much of a bounce back in tourism. Now we have to start hiring again,” he said. 

According to the trends revealed by OYO, a hospitality technology company, there is a 32% increase in demand this year in Deepavali bookings when compared with last year. It also said that Bengaluru was the second most popular destination in the country this season, registering 58% more demand that last year. Data from Thomas Cook (India) Limited also said that there was a three time increase in demand for this year’s Deepavali bookings when compared to last year.