Cool getaways are hot favourites

[1]

Vinay Rawat enjoys a holiday with friends

Rahul Kakkar had had an exhausting week. After submitting endless reports and attending energy-sapping meetings spending the weekend at home was the last thing on Rahul’s mind. So he got busy packing his bags. No, he was not headed to Dalhousie, Manali, Dharamsala or Shimla. And he was also not looking forward to bungee jumping, scuba diving or tracking either.

“In fact, all I want to do is nothing,” says Rahul, who works as a deputy general manager at IBM.
About a two-hour drive to a weekend getaway just to stretch one’s legs, relax, flick through the TV channels and have all the services one wants is what many in the city look forward to after a period of exhausting working days. “Since taking a long break is not possible thanks to our hectic office schedules, my wife and I try to take short vacations with our kids at least once a month so that we can unwind,” says Rahul who takes frequent weekend breaks with his family.
Rahul is not alone. Thanks to an increasing number of people becoming game for quick vacations no wonder the city outskirts are witnessing about a 30 to 40 per cent increase in weekend vacationers, says sales and consultant at The Kikar Lodge Nikhil Sood. “About 15 new, small hotels and resorts have come up over the last year and many more are in pipeline. Most of these places do not buzz high on activities since they thrive on weekend vacationers who only need a quiet place to relax in,” he adds.
Nearby weekend getaways are becoming a favourite of Vinay Rawat, who works with Accretive Health as a subject matter expert. “You don’t need to book tickets or travel for hours. Just carry a small bag on your back and reach beautiful places like Damdama Lake within an hour or two. Once I am away from the city, I like to read, relax and chill out in a quiet location to rejuvenate,” says Vinay.
Lack of free time and increasing disposable incomes make such small trips affordable, says chief representative, Travel Agents Association of India, Harkripal Singh. “To be out of Delhi, especially during the rainy season, places near Damdama Lake, Sohna Road, Nirvana, Manesar, Mansarovar and many more are the perfect getaways from life in the city. On an average people spend about Rs 3,000 on such trips,” he adds.
Holiday destinations are not just some distant hill stations or popular beaches. City people are fast changing the definition of holidaying altogether. From long vacations in far away locations to short holidays in nearby places — people just want to take their minds off things. So, pack your bags! Your weekend getaway just got a lot closer.