Extended weekend, an ideal time for short getaways

Visakhapatnam : It is going to be a much sought-after week for professionals who look forward to taking a break and relaxing as the calendar dots with holidays back-to-back.

From Independence Day to Raksha Bandhan, it is an extended weekend for travellers as they make short trips to various destinations.

Tour operators see an apparent surge in travel interest as people get into a holiday mode. Even as travellers prefer heading to domestic destinations such as Goa and Bengaluru, there is also a growing demand for Visakhapatnam, Odisha, Hyderabad and other destinations as well.

Acknowledging a significant increase in bookings, Ch Narasimha, a travel agent, says, “Our vehicles are in great demand for two reasons. One, due to the wedding season as a fleet of our vehicles are engaged with the wedding parties. Two, many are trickling into Visakhapatnam from neighbouring states such as Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal. They do book our cars to visit close-by temples and beach spots.”

With climate being conducive, a number of travellers made advance bookings to Araku Valley, Borra Caves and Lambasingi, the travel agent informs.

After wrapping up their work on Wednesday evening, Laasya and Hari Priya, Hyderabad-based young professionals, packed their bags to visit Visakhapatnam. “It has been a while since we took a break from work. With an extended weekend in place, we thought it would be better to visit the city’s ancient temple Sri Varaha Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy at Simhachalam and also soak in the scenic beauty of Araku Valley,” the cousin sisters say.

As Visakhapatnam turns out to be the most favoured destination for many, owner of Sharmila Tours and Travels T Durga Prasad, shares, “Most of our vehicles have been booked for the weekend. While tourists prefer visiting temples such as Simhachalam, Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi temple, etc., on the day one of their arrival, a couple of days are being dedicated to visit Araku Valley and Lambasingi as many look forward to a night’s stay in hill stations to enjoy the weather.”

As such, tour operators witnessed a 20 to 30 per cent rise in demand this weekend to Araku Valley and Borra Caves as people from neighbouring cities land in Vizag.

From Independence Day (August 15) celebrations to ‘Varalakshmi Vratam’ festival (August 16) to Raksha Bandhan (August 19) and a weekend sandwiched between the public holidays, travellers find the extended break an ideal time for short getaways.

Meanwhile, in order to engage children during holidays in a constructive manner, BookMagic Library is hosting a three-day craft workshop that includes fun and creative sessions from August 16 to 18.