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    Tourism revives as wanderlust bites homesick people in Bengaluru

    Synopsis

    Multiple resorts ET spoke to said they are seeing an uptick in bookings and occupancy after the government eased lockdown restrictions in the first week of July.

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    Most resorts and holiday homes have vaccinated their employees.
    Tourism is showing signs of a comeback in Karnataka’s popular holiday destinations as Bengalureans have started driving out after two-months of Covid-19 induced lockdown.

    The response is particularly positive in the luxury segment, with vaccinated people choosing to stay in resorts near forest areas or in hill stations. Multiple resorts ET spoke to said they are seeing an uptick in bookings and occupancy after the government eased lockdown restrictions in the first week of July.

    At the government-run Karnataka Jungle Lodges & Resorts (JLR), cottages and rooms are fully booked on weekends. “We are also receiving bookings for weekdays since many people who are working from home are shifting to resorts for a brief period. The internet connectivity at JLR makes it convenient,” JLR MD Kumar Pushkar said.

    He said, the response this time is better compared to the unlocking during the same period last year. “We incurred huge losses because of the closure of resorts in the last 2-3 months. But the kind of response we are receiving now, I believe, will allow us to sustain,” Pushkar said.

    Luxury resort The Serai has been fully booked on weekends at Kabini, Bandipur and Chikmagalur, said M Venkatesh, director at Coffee Day Resorts, which owns the brand. Footfalls have been good on weekdays too, he said and added that the leisure segment is attracting good traffic these days. “After the pandemic, options for people are limited. They are avoiding out of state travel also.”

    A series of curbs in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Kerala owing to the infections are also a reason for people to not to cross borders. But the domestic luxury seekers are still wary of planning their travel and holidays in advance owing to the fear of a third wave.

    “The prospect for the hospitality industry, especially properties that are less crowded, looks bright. But people are avoiding planning their holidays months ahead fearing another round of lockdown owing to a possible third wave,” said Tharun Giri, managing director at The Windflower Spa and Resort.

    The lead time for booking, he said, is now just about 4-7 days. “People are excited about getting out, but they are also cautious about Covid precautions in place,” he said.

    Most resorts and holiday homes have vaccinated their employees. Although none of them are insisting on customer vaccinations, visitors are either partially or fully vaccinated. “Tourists are either fully vaccinated or carry RT-PCR reports with them so that they don’t face inconvenience,” Venkatesh from The Serai said, referring to verifications at border checkpoints.

    JLR is also planning to offer incentives or fee concessions to those who are fully vaccinated, according to JLR MD Pushkar.


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