It seems the trend of celebrating Onam back home is waning among the expats this year, if the travel trends are any indication.
The booking trends of airlines are yet to reflect any rise in demand for travel to Kerala from abroad during Onam. A low-budget flight to Kochi from Dubai costs only ₹6,500 to ₹9,000 during the period from September 10 to 13. An Air India Express flight from Kuwait to Kochi on September 10 is available at ₹6,964.
“Normally, the airfares will go over the roof if Onam falls in August, as it will be the summer vacation period in West Asian countries. This time, Onam falls in mid-September, well after the reopening of schools in the Gulf countries. Now, the air traffic is towards the Gulf countries from Kerala. This is one of the reasons for the poor demand for travel to the State from the Gulf countries,” said K.V. Muralidharan, president, Kerala Association of Travels agents. Further, there was this recent trend among overseas Malayalis to celebrate Onam in overseas destinations with pomp and grandeur, said Mr. Muralidharan.
According to a senior officer with the Air India, the booking trends are not painting a promising picture for the aviation industry during Onam with the passenger load factor remaining sluggish.
Domestic fares high
However, the airfares on the domestic routes are ruling high. A Mumbai-Kochi flight costs ₹6,000 to ₹13,049 on September 10.
The interstate bus fares to Kerala also remain high, in the ₹3,000-₹5,000 range from Chennai and Bengaluru to Kerala.
Distress in the Gulf job market
Irudaya Rajan, chairman, International Institute of Migration and Development, who did a Kerala Migration Survey 2023, told The Hindu there was palpable distress in the Gulf job market with salaries remaining sluggish after the COVID-19. This, along with the Wayanad landslides, might have contributed to the poor demand for travel to Kerala during this Onam from West Asia. Plus, the availability of over 20,000 flight seats a day to Kerala with budget airlines vying with each other for their space provided enough leeway for the passengers, who could plan their travel in advance without waiting for last-minute booking, he said.
Published - September 05, 2024 08:34 pm IST
