Bengaluru hotels overbooked as domestic and NRI travel booms due to holiday season

With the upcoming New Year’s Day events and Aero India in February, the streak is expected to continue

This year, Karnataka Government has allowed new year celebrations on Brigade Road in Bengaluru after a gap of two years. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

Business at hotels across the city is booming this December as there is a surge in domestic travel and destination weddings. Most hotels in the city centre, including five-star hotels, are running on 100% occupancy with some also diverting their guests to other hotels to keep up with demand. With the upcoming New Year’s Day events and Aero India in February, the streak is expected to continue. 

Tourists from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and other neighbouring States are arriving in large numbers this year, the hoteliers reported.

“Not just 100% occupancy, but there is also minus occupancy, which means that hotels divert the guests to other hotels they have tie ups with when they are overbooked. This was a common occurrence during December in the pre-pandemic days and now it has resumed again,” said P.C. Rao, president, Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteliers’ Association (BBHA). 

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Cakes of various shapes and sizes are on display at the 48th annual Bengaluru Cake Show, at St. Joseph Indian High School ground, ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations, in Bengaluru. | Video Credit: K Murali Kumar

Mr. Rao added that many non-resident Indians (NRI) are also travelling back to their native States this year and when they do, they are also staying at other cities on small tours. “This has led to a surge in bookings in hotels in most major cities,” he added. With more wedding venues coming up in Bengaluru, wedding parties have also booked hotels in large numbers, many hoteliers said. 

“Destination weddings have become a means of uniting all the family members and then there are also events like haldi, mehendi for which we see bookings. The hotels on the outskirts do not have 100% occupancy, but we saw quite a surge during the first fortnight of this month. Come February, the room costs at many hotels in North Bengaluru will increase due to Aero India,” said Sunil, General Manager at Attide Hotel.

The hospitality industry, which was awaiting large-scale revival post the pandemic, has been very happy with this year’s holiday business. “We were the first to close and last to open during the 19 lockdowns and now we are slowly seeing rays of hopes again in the industry,” said a hotelier from J.P. Nagar.