Geopolitical Tensions Push Hyderabad Tourists Towards Costly Domestic Trips
HYDERABAD: With international travel plans taking a back seat this summer amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, a growing number of Hyderabad residents are opting for domestic holiday destinations. However, many are ending up paying significantly higher prices for local vacations.
Airfares, hotel tariffs and holiday package costs have surged over the past few weeks. Travellers say vacations within India are becoming unexpectedly expensive.
Travel agencies in Hyderabad said flight ticket prices to popular tourist destinations have increased two to three times compared to the same period last year. Routes connecting Hyderabad to Srinagar, Bagdogra, Leh and Guwahati are witnessing the highest demand.
A round-trip ticket from Hyderabad to Srinagar, which earlier cost between ₹25,000 and ₹30,000 during the peak summer season, is now nearing ₹60,000 on certain dates. Fares to Leh and Bagdogra have also climbed sharply as travellers rush to book holidays before schools reopen.
Many residents said they had not anticipated the steep rise in domestic travel costs this year.
“We planned a week-long family trip to Shimla via Delhi, thinking it would cost much less than an international vacation. But the airfare alone consumed nearly half our budget,” said Ritvikh Sharma, an IT professional from Gachibowli.
Hotels and resorts report near-full occupancy
Tour operators said limited airline capacity and last-minute bookings are pushing prices even higher. Travellers who usually plan holidays to Europe, Thailand or Dubai are now choosing destinations such as Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the Northeast.
“Demand has gone up beyond expectations,” travel operators said.
The surge in domestic tourism is also driving up hotel and resort tariffs across major tourist destinations. Industry representatives said occupancy levels for May and June are nearing full capacity in several locations.
“In Kashmir, for instance, a package with budget hotels is costing ₹40,000 per person,” said P Nagesh, president of the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana chapter of the Travel Agents Association of India.
International bookings slow amid global uncertainty
Travel operators said outbound international travel from Hyderabad has slowed noticeably this summer. They attributed the trend to geopolitical tensions and concerns over global instability.
“The demand for destinations that traditionally attract Indian tourists during summer, including Southeast Asia and the Middle East, is very low compared to previous years. Several travellers are also postponing overseas vacations,” said Moez Meghani, owner of Max Travels.
He added that families are increasingly preferring shorter domestic holidays over long-haul international vacations this year, as many feel local travel is safer and easier to manage at present.
