Let’s admit it, a trip to unknown places for the first time costs an arm and a leg. The tickets, hotel charges, and transportation for sightseeing places are often expensive. Exploring one’s familiar locations isn’t costly as you’re cognizant of transportation charges, hotel charges, and other activities that you simply are getting to enjoy. As traveling gets easier, people are gradually getting interested in exploring places to travel that are closer to home. Due to this, traveling to familiar locations is the new trend amid this pandemic. According to Booking.com’s Future of Travel research, most Indian travelers, for their holiday in 2021, prefer traveling to familiar locations.
Benefits of traveling to familiar locations
In our current, more restricted world, local places to travel will continue to be well-liked choices amongst travelers because they remain easier, safer, and – happily – often more sustainable. People will like to visit the locations they previously visited for familiarity. Now let’s look at some of the major benefits behind familiar places to visit –
1. Staycation is the new normal
Whether travelers decide to stay local or not, most people will travel to places they’ve already been. Staycation offers both cost and time savings for travelers, who are likely to establish destinations and accommodations much easier than places visiting for the first time. The survey has shown that 52% of Indian travelers decide to travel within the country within the next seven to 12 months.
2. Familiarists, not tourists
There is nothing like revisiting old places and accessing down memory lane. Digha, Puri, Darjeeling, Srinagar, Manali, Goa, and Alibaug are some of the all-time favorite Indian destinations for Indian travelers that they like to visit whenever they get time from their busy schedules. This has made them locals rather than so-called tourists.
3. Say yes to the road trip
Those days are past when people plan for days for a small trip. Now road trip has become the only option for a sudden weekend getaway. The desire to explore closer places to travel is fuelling a new passion of road trips to rediscover forgotten locals among the travelers.
4. Take less time
As you’re traveling to a familiar location, you’ll not be taking any long routes. It’ll save you an enormous time that you simply can utilize in sightseeing or relaxing at your hotel. Also, it doesn’t require an equivalent sort of time commitment as traveling to a not-so-familiar place does. Visiting nearby places gives you tons of time to spend an exquisite vacation together with your family and friends.
5. No documentation required
Most of the time traveling to a familiar location means no requirement of passport, visa, and other documentation, unlike foreign travel. For domestic travel in India, carrying an Aadhar Card or voter card will roll in the hay all. At the most, an RT PCR report will be required in today’s times. For a double-vaccinated person, it may not be necessary though.
6. When comfort is a priority
A big advantage of traveling to familiar places is you don’t need to pack a lot of things, and there’ll be no barrier at your destination as you know where to find your needs. Being in familiar places to travel, never brings too many complications, and therefore the place also looks familiar to you. In such cases, finding places to eat, stay, and for sightseeing isn’t a frightening task.
7. Easy accommodation & transportation
When you are planning for a trip to a familiar location it brings you choices of transport and easy availability of accommodation as you already know about the several options to opt for beforehand. You can choose a family hotel, apartment, campsite, and even a shared room at your convenience. It doesn’t cost you much and gives you flexibility in traveling that international travel can’t.
8. Holidaying with pets
Leaving behind your furry friend while traveling might not be a good idea. Traveling with furry companions has been top of traveler’s minds in recent times. Traveling to familiar locations gives you the opportunity to bring your pet as you have already been there.
There are many hidden gems in India that you simply may not have thought about. On the other hand, there may be many other popular destinations that are still on your bucket list. While it can be a bit longer before the world returns to its pre-pandemic state, becoming familiarised instead of tourists is becoming the forefront of travel agendas. Almost a quarter (21%) of people intend to travel to the other side of the world by the end of 2021, compared to only 6% who intend to do so by the end of 2020. Still dream of a far-flung holiday? Pack your bags now and be ready to enjoy a reunion trip to your favorite place to travel this season! Rediscovering India and traveling back to a familiar location is what 2021 going to be about.
