Indians Are Packing Their Bags Again; Plan To Travel In Aug-Sept, Says Survey

New Delhi: Even as the third wave of the pandemic looms large, the travel bug seems to have hit Indians, with as many as 28 per cent planning to travel in August-September.

The online platform LocalCircles conducted a survey to understand the reason for their travel, News18 reported quoting PTI. The survey received over 18,000 responses from citizens residing in 311 districts, with 68 per cent of respondents men and the rest women.

Findings of the survey

• 28 per cent citizens are planning to travel during August-September
• Only five per cent have made their bookings
• During the second wave of the outbreak, many citizens faced teething issues to cancel their travel plans for the summer.
• In many cases, the travel agent or the airline did not refund anything, and some citizens lost the complete ticket amount, while some were able to retrieve a partial amount, and others were asked to re-book the ticket for a later date.

In response to the first question about the current plan, out 9,146 people, 63 per cent said they don’t have a plan to travel during these two months when there are a lot of holidays due to the festival season.

“Five per cent said they have plans and have booked the tickets, along with stays while 23 per cent said they have a plan to travel during these two months but have not booked tickets and they stay yet. Nine per cent said they are undecided,” LocalCircles was quoted as saying in a statement.

On what kind of personal travel do they plan to undertake in the next two months, “13 per cent citizens said ‘holiday destination’, 39 per cent said ‘visit family and friends’ and 22 per cent said ‘other travel. 

What data indicates

• 54 per cent will be visiting friends and family
• 26 per cent will be travelling to ‘holiday destinations’
• 32 per cent will be undertaking other kinds of travel

“The government must continue to create awareness among people about limiting non-essential travel till the time the risk of a third COVID-19 wave greatly reduces. “The biggest challenge with travel when the virus is spreading was observed in March and April during the Kumbh Mela when as devotees went back to their hometowns, many came back with the infection,” LocalCircles was quoted as saying.

The platform said it will also submit the findings of this survey with central and state governments, so that the same can be used as an input in policy decisions in regard to mitigating the risk of the third COVID-19 wave in India.

Although the daily cases in India have declined significantly for nearly two months from four lakh to 40,000 range, infections in some districts continue to remain on an upward trajectory, particularly in Kerala and Maharashtra, said LocalCircles.