Valentine's Day travel craze for couples, hotel bookings jump 175%
Couples are spending more on travel and special experiences this Valentine's Day. Hotel bookings have increased by 175%, and people are preferring shorter, destination getaways over one-night celebrations.
Valentine's Day is no longer limited to flowers, chocolates, and dinner. This year, Indian couples are spending lavishly on travel and getaways to make this occasion of love special.
Data from hotels and travel companies shows a tremendous surge in bookings over the Valentine's Day weekend. According to Cleartrip, hotel bookings for Valentine's Day this year increased by 175% year-over-year.
Growing preference for short but memorable trips
According to Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth Officer at Cleartrip, couples are preferring shorter, experiential trips. Bookings for Guwahati have increased by over 60% and for Colombo by over 65%, indicating that people are also planning shorter international getaways.
Resorts and leisure destinations near full capacity
Amrudha Nair, CEO of Araiya Hotels & Resorts, said Valentine's Day bookings across her resort portfolio have increased by 58% to 110%. According to data company RateGain, hotel bookings for Valentine's weekend have increased 58% year-over-year. This means couples are now opting for destination-style vacations instead of one-night celebrations.
Couples are preferring more spending and more customization
Clarissa Group is seeing up to 70-80% higher demand at tourist destinations like Jim Corbett, Goa, and Mukteshwar. ITC Hotels is also seeing strong bookings in Agra, Jaipur, Gurugram, and Goa.
The hotel industry says couples are not only staying longer but also splurging on personalized dining, private setups, and special romantic experiences.
Foreign travel and room rates also increased
According to Pickyourtrail, international travel budgets have grown 2033% year-on-year. Meanwhile, bookings for Valentine's Day-related holidays at Cox & Kings have increased by 50%.
Hotels say room rates are about 10% higher than last year, but demand remains strong. Overall, Valentine's Day is no longer just a one-day celebration, but a full-fledged travel and experience festival for couples.