Coronavirus and Travel 2021: Why You Should Consider Visiting India Post-COVID

Published: January 30, 2021

The new wave of COVID-19 has started to surge the new number of cases throughout the world. In India, the expectations of the travel industry to return to normalcy seems to be disappearing. The hotels, taxi operators, and tour agencies have suffered significantly due to the lockdown restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The tourism industry is known to be one of the most significant job creation sectors in India. It also distributes a large amount of wealth to the locals.

With the international flights grounded, the hope for the recovery of the tourism-related businesses seems bleak. However, the domestic tourist has been operation in India for the last three months. Some specific international flights have already been approved to carry passengers from the US, UK, Germany, France, and Russia.

Future of Travel in India

The questions come to mind about the future of travelling and how you should prepare before travelling to any place without compromising your safety and health.

Obviously, after the release of the vaccines, people will start to plan their travels. After being locked down in homes and living with the restrictions for almost a year, people are expected to travel.

This trend can be observed with the growing number of domestic tourists visiting places like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Goa. In the past few months, there has been a surge in the tourists traveling within India. The hotels and tour operators have also been reporting the resumption of their businesses.

So, it is highly likely that International flights will eventually be bringing tourists into the country. There are various factors one should consider if he/she wishes to travel in a Post-COVID world.

During the lockdown, many people got enough time to ask themselves how they can responsibly travel Post-CORONA. There have been many discussions about sustainable tourism activities that can help the environment and the communities. There have been many blogs discussing various creative ways on how to travel after COVID.

A significant trend in the discussions throughout the travel communities on the internet is that of ‘Sustainable Tourism.’ It seems people have been asking for a healthy way to travel, not just in terms of health and safety but also in terms of environmental sustainability and community-based travel solutions that help the local communities instead of big companies. Hotels and tour operators can expect to cater to these needs of the international tourists.

Why you should Consider visiting India Post-Corona

Hotel Tariffs

The tourism industry’s primary stakeholders, including many hotel associations, have come together to revive the businesses in their states. One of the common strategies that many hotels and tour operators adopted is to slash their facilities and packages’ prices.

Places like Uttarakhand slashed their hotel bookings’ price to nearly 50% and gave away discount coupons to encourage people to travel to their state. This trend has been seen throughout many states and their aggressive campaigns to promote their respective tourist destinations.

Exclusivity

Travel options are currently popular among the domestic tourists travelling within India range from Road Trips to Caravan Camping. Many such travel packages have gained popularity among the small groups and families who wish to travel together in small groups.

There are various travel packages for individuals and couples alike. There are plenty of travel destinations that do not have many visitors. Due to this, there are destinations such as Darjeeling where tourists can enjoy the solitude of nature. There are many community-based tour packages as well where tourists can book accommodation close to the local community.

Luxury Tour Options

To kick start their businesses, many hotel owners opened their luxury 5-star facilities at an affordable price.

The state of Kerala is aggressively promoting its tourist destinations at a significantly affordable budget. The luxury houseboats on the backwaters offered their luxury facilities to the tourists at discounted prices.

Budget Travel

For international tourists, there are many destinations that India has to offer. To travel the whole of India would be a pricey affair. However, post-COVID travelling throughout India is possible during these times.

The popular attractions in India are well-connected via road, air, and water transport system. A well-planned trip to India with multiple tour package options is worth considering.

Community-Based Travel

After many travel businesses failed during the lockdown period, the local village communities have started inviting travelers to visit their community. Such Himachal tour packages give direct access to the local culture, art, and traditions that one can experience.

There are plenty of local community-based tour packages that run on the grassroots level providing experiences within a local community. Many homestay options can be seen in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The local people in many Himachal villages have been opening up their facilities for accommodation, and food options are also available in these homestays.

Better Tourism Infrastructure

During the lockdown period, the Ministry of Tourism in India completed many infrastructure projects. These projects are designed to boost tourism and facilitate travelling within India.

One of the primary examples is the Rohtang Tunnel that was completed recently. The tunnel greatly reduces the travel time for the tourists. The government has allocated significant funds for the development of various tourist attractions based on several themes. One such theme was Spiritual Tourism, under which several religious and spiritual sites were promoted. The infrastructure of the many tourist sites and monuments have been improved.

Along with developing the infrastructure and facilities, the government has implemented health and safety guidelines for all hotel facilities, tour operators, and site officials. 

Rich Culture

India is a land of diverse cultures and traditions. From the Taj Mahal to the backwaters of Kerala, India has plentiful attractions to make a vacation memorable. 

The festivals, art, and handicrafts created by communities throughout India show how diverse the culture of every state and community is. From clothing to food, landscapes to the forests, India has a vast travel opportunity with many travel options meant for every taste.

Health & Wellness

Going through the lockdown phase where freedom to move was hindered, many people have been going through various forms of stress. Considering that, the campaigns for health and wellness are being run. 

Yoga in India has been one of the primary reasons why foreign tourists travel to India. Yoga and Ayurveda based retreat centers are open for various types of healing retreats. 

There are meditation and other retreats where travelers seeking solitude can avail the facilities. Some of the best-known meditation retreats, such as Vipassana, are the most popular among international tourists.

New Destinations

The Ministry of Tourism has been aggressively promoting many newly developed tourist attractions. These include wildlife sanctuaries, dolphin observatory, Ayodhya temple, and many other attractions available to be explored.

Cultural events and festivals are also part of the promotional campaigns. To help India’s ailing tourism sector, a significant number of projects have been announced where various travel packages are created with different themes.

The most popular packages are Yoga tourism, Buddhist trail, Ayodhya tourism trail, Religious tourism, Adventure tourism, Health & Wellness tourism.

 


India is a diverse nation with travel opportunities that can be created as you travel. Many backpacker travelers generally use public transport to reach distant villages. There are many small pockets of land which are not promoted for tourism. Such destinations often provide the unpredictable flavors of food and culture that are unique.

If you wish to travel to India, it is best to plan. Researching all the different destinations in different states and cities can be overwhelming. Usually, the best way to decide where to travel in India is to categorize your choices into Weather, Landscape, Activities, and Budget.

There are significant differences in the states of India. North India and its culture are very different from that of South India. Also, East India is different from the West. There will be places that are the best during certain seasons, and there are places that are open all available all year round.

It is usually a best practice for international travelers to research India’s traditions and customs before planning a vacation. Throughout India, there are many festivals celebrated by different communities and people of other ethnicity and backgrounds. Some of these festivals are celebrated on a grand scale, such as Shivratri, Diwali, Holi, and Dussehra. Some places host a massive event in which the culture and the folklore can be understood and experienced.

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