Working professionals in Mumbai opt for vacations within city

relaxing weekend

For Namrata Bhasin, a 28-year-old client servicing executive with an advertising agency, planning a vacation with her husband (an IT professional) had become a herculean task. Sometimes, the weekend seemed insufficient to travel outside the city, while on other occasions, the cost of booking tickets, lodging and sight-seeing, was too much to bear.

On the other hand, at times over-demanding work left no room for anything else. Finally, Bhasin stumbled upon an idea of saving time and money, yet being able to relax amid luxurious envrions - enter the staycation. The Bhasins aren't an exception; an increasing number of urban working couples are resorting to vacations within the city that are now being dubbed as ‘staycations'.

Urban adults are checking into city hotels for a vacation within the city

Live life
"In this fast-paced world, work schedules for every individual, be it in any industry, has become increasingly hectic. To cope with such schedules and to maintain a perfect work-life balance, professionals have begun to indulge in local retreats," explains Gaurav Pokhariyal, General Manager, The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, that offers staycation packages to
its clients.

Giving more insight into this trend, Philippe Charraudeau, VP West & GM, ITC Maratha, explains that staycations are easy getaways that do not require excessive planning, extended travel time and are short and effective sojourns to help people break free from the daily grind.

Timely break
"Time is of essence to everyone due to the hectic schedules of urban living. For DINK (Double Income No Kids) couples, nuclear families with young kids and frequent fliers, taking off from work is not an easy option. Thus, a holiday destination within the city as a weekend escape is a welcome change and an opportunity to bond with loved ones. It actually fits
within the week's schedule with minimum fuss," he says, adding that staycations are always more in demand during long weekends, which are clubbed with public holidays.

A burgeoning trend among people in the 25-45 year age group, hotels offer various packages and offers to clients who wish to indulge in the same. "As part of our campaign to pay tribute to Mumbai's monsoon, we felt a deep desire to create a staycation experience that was bespoke, luxurious and at the same time, captured the essence, warmth and comfort that the Mumbai monsoon evokes," says Deepti Dadlani, Director Communications, Palladium Hotel, about their offer.

She shares that the package is meant to be treated like a mini-affordable vacation that is a short drive away (the package includes a pick-up and drop facility), without having to battle the city's traffic or even plan much in advance.