As India presses the pedal on Covid 19 inoculation drive, travel industry gears up to welcome guests back

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As India opens up with the push in Coronavirus vaccine, the travel industry, one of the worst impacted by the lockdown, is all set to boom.</p>
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A study by Make My Trip said that 65 per cent of travellers have started to search and plan for a vacation within the next two months.</p>
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The report said that till date, more than 70 per cent of the respondents have taken a trip since the first phase of ‘Unlock’ – with about 40 per cent undertaking one or two mini vacations. According to the survey, people are awaiting to be vaccinated. Once vaccinated, 81 per cent of the respondents could travel for leisure.</p>
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Vipul Prakash, Chief Operating Officer at MakeMyTrip said “The link between vaccination rollout and travel sentiment is directly proportional and the survey results corroborate that as vaccination programme advances there is a sharp recovery in travel demand. While Indians plan their summer break this year after having to skip it last summer, safety and hygiene remain on top of the mind while making travel or accommodation bookings.”</p>
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The Indian tourism industry has been one of the worst impacted due to the global coronavirus pandemic.</p>
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Sources said that demand picked up considerably during the December-January period Prices, which had come down by about 40 per cent, are once again firming up.</p>
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“One change in travellers is that they are looking for Indian destinations, the craze for international places is no more there,” a senior executive at a premium five-star hotel chain said.</p>
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The total lodging capacity in India is estimated at 1-1.3 million rooms.</p>
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According to business data platform Statista, the travel and tourism sector in India accounted for an estimated 12.38 per cent of the total employment opportunities generated in the country in 2018. The share of indirect employment was 6.38 per cent, the website said.</p>
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