Holi 2024: Tourists to throng THESE destinations to celebrate festival of colour this weekend | Full list here

Holi 2024: Holi, also known as the festival of colour, is the most vibrant and eagerly anticipated Hindu festival that is celebrated across India in the Phalguna month (February or March). This year, Holi falls on March 25, and Holika Dahan is celebrated a day ahead, i.e., March 24. 

In India, there are some spectacular destinations for Holi where the festival is celebrated in a deeply traditional manner. Interestingly, Holi also brings good news for those who want to enjoy a long weekend getaway by traveling outside the city. Holi falls on March 25 (Monday), while March 23 and 24 are already weekends. One can take off on March 23 or March 26 to go on a trip. 

Also Read | How Holi is celebrated? Know time and traditions

Vacation lovers have already planned their Holi long weekend this year. According to data shared by ixigo, an Indian online travel portal, Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Goa, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Udaipur, Varanasi, and Jaipur are the top 11 domestic destinations booked for a perfect long weekend this Holi. 

Besides this, some travelers are also thrilled to explore international destinations during the Holi long weekend. These places including Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Colombo, and Bali are booked for travel from March 23 to March 29, the report said. 

On the other hand, Skyscanner, a travel agency based in Scotland, found that the volume of bookings for destinations like New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore for March 2024 has already surpassed 75% of the bookings recorded for March 2023, even though the company is at mid-month. 

“Cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore are stealing the spotlight as prime hubs with Kolkata, Goa, and Hyderabad following closely behind. Many are also making the most of the long weekend by flying to international hotspots like Dubai, London, and Bangkok,” said Mohit Joshi, Travel and Destinations Expert at Skyscanner. 

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High demand, high airfare

The company has also witnessed an uptick of 30% in domestic airfares for popular routes. “We have seen a 46% YoY increase in flight searches for Holi travel this year," said Aloke Bajpai, Chairman, Managing Director, and Group CEO, ixigo.

"Domestic fares for popular routes have shot up 25-30% in the last week of March as travelers are making most of the back-to-back long weekend on account of Holi and Good Friday holiday,” Bajpai added. 

The report stated that airfares have been increased by 21% on the New Delhi- Bengaluru route as the flight cost approximately ₹5,510 last Holi, while the average price is ₹6,697 this Holi weekend. On the Bengaluru-Mumbai route, the flight cost rose by 61%, that is, from ₹2,707 in 2023 to ₹4,373 this year. 

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People who are traveling from Mumbai to Goa need to pay 43% more for flight journeys this year as the airfare now costs around ₹3,372. Last year, the average flight ticket price was ₹2,366. Similarly, Delhi-Patna route flight ticket prices have been increased by 46%, followed by a 42% hike in Pune- New Delhi route airfare, a 38% rise on Bengaluru-New Delhi route, and 33% on Mumbai-Jaipur route. 

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Joshi said the travel data suggests that this travel season is shaping up to be more robust than the previous Holi festival. Fueled by this growing demand in 2024, airfares have risen slightly by 12% on the Mumbai to Delhi route and by 17% on the Bangalore to Delhi route compared to the week of Holi in 2023,” he added. 

Communities across India are preparing to host grand celebrations, complete with music, dance, and an infectious spirit of togetherness. Holi 2024 promises to be a time of unbridled joy, where differences are forgotten, and the world becomes a canvas of colour, unity, and renewal.