Delhi’s toxic air turns into business boom for hotels, villas and workcations across India

"Over the past few weeks, we have seen a clear uptick in Delhi travellers choosing Naukuchia House as a quick escape from the worsening air quality in the city," Sanjeev Kumar, General Manager (GM), Naukuchia House, told Moneycontrol.

With guests opting for rooms with lake or forest views, Kumar is also noticing a strong pattern of repeat guests from Delhi choosing to return for longer, more relaxed stays.

High altitude, panoramic views and extensive open landscapes are some of the attractions at Jaypee Residency Manor, Mussoorie which is resulting in the highest inbound demand from Delhi-based travellers at the moment, said the property's GM, Piiyush Kapoor.

Radisson Blu Pune Hinjawadi's GM, Amit Raman noted that the spike in bookings from Delhi residents began right after Diwali.

Delhi residents are driving 25 percent of bookings at Noormahal Group's Karnal property. "Many guests are choosing our location for their stays, especially as weddings and other events are being relocated to areas with better air quality," said Col. Manbeer Choudhary, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Noormahal Group.

A resident of Delhi, Vikram Puri who is also the Managing Director of Archer Hospitality and runs properties like Astor Goa, Kolkata has plans to travel to Goa for a breath of fresh air.

"The easiest tagline for Goa is —come breathe some clean air and enjoy the Air Quality Index (AQI) that is below 50. I am also leaving for Goa to spend the majority of December there. It is unthinkable what is happening in Delhi which has some of the best hospitality brands. I have grown up enjoying the Delhi winters but now we have reached a stage when winters are the worst time to be here. I feel bad for Delhi's hospitality products that have been built with rooftops, open-air ceilings to enjoy the multi-faceted weather of the city," he told Moneycontrol.

At Astor Goa, he is seeing about 65-100 people from Delhi visiting the property with many who are there to escape the city's toxic air.

The LaLiT Suri Hospitality Group is seeing a substantial share of their recent reservations and walk-ins across leisure destinations driven by guests from Delhi, said the Group's GM Corporate Sales and Revenue, Deepmala Chaudhary.

In Himachal and Uttarakhand properties, Deepak Agarwal, Founder and Director of Moustache Group of Hotels is seeing nearly a 15 percent rise in reservations and he said that travellers from Delhi are driving much of this demand.

Villas and resorts are also emerging as the preferred choice for many Delhiites.

Private villas offer an ideal ‘home away from home’ escape, said Dhimaan Shah, Executive Director & Co-CEO, Lohono Stays by Isprava Group.

Bookings from Delhi NCR accounts for about 22-30 percent of SaffronStays total bookings across North and West India, noted Founder, Devendra Parulekar. "This share typically spikes whenever air quality drops and families look for quick, drivable escapes to the hills, or fly down to Goa and South India for longer stays."

What used to be an occasional request has become an intentional choice with guests writing to us asking for 'clean air, trees and quiet' for a few days, said Maulik Bhagat, Social Entrepreneur and Founder, 1000 Island Hotels & Resorts. "Delhi has slowly become one of our key source markets in India."

Avni Tripathi, Director & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Aahana Resort, Jim Corbett National Park said that the intent of the guests has changed as it’s no longer just a holiday, it’s an escape. Repeat visits from Delhi families are one of our biggest drivers, she said.

Which are the top getaway spots for Delhiites?

About 11 percent of Lohono Stays total bookings is coming from Delhi residents with Goa leading the demand, followed closely by Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir.

At Hosteller, Delhi-based travellers currently account for about 8-10 percent of their total bookings across the country while, in properties like Rishikesh and Dharamshala, the proportion is even higher, noted Founder Pranav Dangi.

In Rishikesh, bookings from Delhi account for 20–25 percent of total bookings, in Manali it is about 20 percent, at Kasol 20 percent, Bhagsu / McLeodGanj about 15–20 percent and Mussoorie around 25 percent.

Are Delhiites driving forward bookings?

The Hosteller is seeing 25–30 percent increase in forward bookings from Delhi versus the same period last year.

The upcoming long weekends and the extended festive period around Christmas and New Year are prompting early bookings, Lohono Stays' Shah said.

For how long are Delhiites taking a break to escape the city's toxic air?

The average length of stay currently stands at 2/3 nights, noted Piiyush Kapoor.

Hosteller's Dangi noted that the weekday bookings have grown more than usual because many people are deciding to work remotely until pollution levels improve. Workcation-friendly destinations like Bir, Shoja, Dharamkot are being preferred.

Avni Tripathi said that some guests even stay for a month when they want a lifestyle change.

Who from Delhi are making the majority hotel/stay bookings?

Lohono Stays Shah said that families form the bulk of their Delhi bookings, but they are also seeing strong traction from corporate groups and friends travelling together.

Couples are also a significant cohort, said Piiyush Kapoor. "Their trips are often spontaneous and planned in response to sudden spikes in AQI."

Since when did hotels/stays start seeing more guests from Delhi?

The increase started taking shape just before Diwali and has continued to gain momentum since, said Naukuchia House's Kumar.

The uptick began in the last week of October, coinciding with AQI levels touching the severe category in Delhi, noted Piiyush Kapoor. "Since then, week-on-week enquiries and conversions from Delhi have risen sharply."

Col. Manbeer Choudhary pointed out that while the wedding season always boosts demand, this year has seen unprecedented interest post-Diwali, with reservation rates far exceeding pre-Diwali levels.