Surf Turf — the surf school in Covelong — is currently closed. Normally bustling with surfers at this time, the airy property, facing the Bay of Bengal, is awaiting the Government’s orders to soon reopen. “The whole of last month we have been getting calls from people asking when we will reopen,” says Arun Vasu, founder.
With countries, and even States sealing borders, in addition to compulsory post-travel quarantines, Arun is positive that domestic tourism will grow this year. With the current emphasis on physical distancing because of COVID-19, open spaces are likely to be attractive to cautious staycationers, says Arun, adding, “Activities offered here, like surfing and standup paddling requires one person per board,” he says.
Surf Turf’s rooms have been revamped and now have attached bathrooms so clients do not have to worry about sharing a common space. “We will avoid big groups so it will be a little quieter. And we plan to encourage those who come to stay longer,” says Arun.
Further down the coast at Quest Adventure Sports Academy, Rameshwaram, new sanitisation guidelines are being implemented. The homestay and academy, which is also temporarily shut, draws clients from across the country. Some stay to learn scuba diving and other water activities, while others visit for a day.
“There is pent up demand; people want to travel as soon as it opens. Some of them want to stay with us for two weeks,” says Jehan Driver, managing director of Quest Adventure Sports Academy. Here too, an attraction is the fact that all activities are outdoors. “We work with small numbers of people and spend most of the time in the ocean, away from the crowd,” he says .
COVID-19 has forced the world to cancel vacations, reunions and business trips this year. The beleaguered travel and hospitality industries have been hit with waves of cancellations.
Now, as countries cautiously reopen after many months of lockdowns, people are looking for safe ways to return to some semblance of normal life.
Resurgence of an old trend
Staycation’s popularity has peaked after the pandemic began (according to Google Trends, at least) due to the restriction and risks involved in long-distance travel.
For instance, Airbnb bookings are slowly rising, as hosts find ways to draw guests back, offering entire villas and monthly stays at competitive prices.
The tourism industry, which has suffered a sudden yet savage blow, is counting on this surge in staycations to recover. More and more luxury hotels, resorts, homestays and other players are designing packages for locals. This could, in turn, control the damage of the floundering economy as well. Staycations, however, are important at a personal level, too.
With the pandemic triggering layoffs and pay cuts, employees — especially millions who work from home — perhaps feel the need (or are asked) to work longer and harder. In this context, vacations seem like an indulgence. But, given the spike in depression, a short break now may be more important than ever before.
Take a break
Some people, due to strict travel restrictions and safety concerns, are okay vacationing at home. They use this time to learn new skills, perhaps bar-be-cue with their family or just binge watch films.
L Manjula Ramakrishnan, who works in a financial advisory firm in Bengaluru, says she prefers a nearby getaway. “I was okay with the lockdown for the first month or so,” says Manjula. “But after a point, you want to step out and just breathe fresh air.” Manjula and her daughter drove to the Porcupine Castle resort atop a hill in Coorg.
“It was good to surround ourselves with greenery and get some clean air after being locked inside the house for almost two months.”
Porcupine Castle is also offering a ‘workation’ package for guests who wish to work, looking at the lush greenery and listening to bird song. It includes a 10-day stay, high-speed WiFi and a conference room. It costs ₹2,500 per night compared to their usual room rates starting from ₹6,500.
Working from home is likely to continue even after the COVID-19 crisis abates. So, millions of employees can afford to go on staycations like this without worrying about taking leave. The pandemic, hence, has not just changed the nature of work; it has changed the way people vacation as well.
Attracting local guests
Worldwide, it would take a while for the tourism industry to recuperate. HVS-Anarock, a global consultant for hospitality, estimates that India’s hotel industry will lose ₹90,000 crore during this calendar year. Hoteliers and owners of homestays and resorts are keeping their expectations low for the rest of the year. But they all count on intra-city and intra-State bookings.
Hubloft, a Kochi-based vacation rental service, gets one-fourth of their annual bookings from abroad and about 35% from Kerala. But since reopening after a lockdown on June 8, all bookings have been from within the State. Raiyaan Nayeem, Hubloft’s founding partner, says, “We are marketing ourselves as a place to get together. Most of our enquiries are from youngsters — a bunch of friends or couples. They can’t go to cafés, restaurants and pubs. So, they look to rent private villas.” Hubloft has relaxed its cancellation policy to encourage more last-minute bookings.
Future of vacations
The pandemic also seems to have created a demand for unique and private staycation spots. On June 30, A Travel Circle launched in India, promising customised luxury staycations for its customers. Its founder Pritish Shah says, “The changing travel expectations in the new normal world align very well with our offerings — private villas for social distancing, private jets to avoid commercial airports, highest standards in safety with our carefully selected hospitality partners and other service vendors.”
Raiyaan’s Hubloft has started houseboat rentals in Alleppey. “We get about 100 enquiries every day. And, most of them are looking for a one-day stay, which costs ₹8,000 for a couple.” It’s definitely more expensive than meeting your loved ones at a café. But how often do you get to share a sunset with them with almost-still water gleaming beneath?
