Keralites’ to-do list during Onam now features leisure travel too

Preetha Cheerambathel, 56, wore the look of quiet contentment that comes from fulfilling a long-cherished wish as she stepped out after partaking in the famed Vallasadya — the grand ritual feast associated with Onam — at the Aranmula Sree Parthasarathy Temple in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala.

The feast was part of a budget pilgrimage package run by KSRTC, covering five temples linked to the mythical Pandavas across Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts. Preetha and her husband Sidharthan from Punnayurkulam in Thrissur, had long wanted to experience the Vallasadya. Last year, however, they missed out as the nearest KSRTC depot at Ponnani did not operate a trip under the package.

“So when it was announced this time, we grabbed the opportunity. We gathered a group of friends and relatives to join us, and the experience was thoroughly enjoyable,” says Preetha, a regular patron of KSRTC’s budget tourism packages tailored to fulfil the travel dreams of commoners.

And the cash-strapped KSRTC is not complaining, as it taps into the Onam season, which is fast emerging as a favourite travel season for Keralites.

“We have scheduled 350 trips under the Temple package during this Onam season, which is a 50% increase from the previous season. Already, 200 trips have been operated from depots across the State, and services will continue until the Vallasadya concludes next month. Alongside Munnar and Gavi, this has become one of our most popular packages,” says R. Udayakumar, chief traffic manager, KSRTC Budget Tourism.

Yet, not all travellers are looking for domestic experiences. Overseas packages are also witnessing soaring demand during the festive season. “Onam is the second busiest travel season in Kerala after the summer holidays, thanks to school vacations and bonuses for the salaried class. Vietnam has now emerged as one of the most sought-after destinations overtaking the once-popular Singapore–Malaysia–Thailand circuit, offering rich experiences at affordable rates. Europe too remains a strong draw, as we are handling multiple groups in both circuits,” says Benny Panikulangara, a veteran of three decades in the tourism industry.

Clint K. John, who runs a hospitality business and travels frequently during Onam, observes that the festival has transformed what was once a lean period for inbound tourism in Keralam’s tourism calendar into a lively season. Keralam’s reputation as a literate, safe destination – especially for women – amplified by social media posts from domestic and international visitors, has only added to the appeal, he notes.

Tapping boat races

K. Rajkumar, CEO of Kerala Travel Mart, could not agree more. “There is immense potential to develop Onam into a distinct cultural tourism season, separate from the domestic and international seasons that begin in October and November respectively. The tourism department can harness the popularity of boat races, our unique tourism product, by locking the Champions Boat League schedule at least a year in advance. Races are held across 12 venues starting with the Nehru Trophy in Alappuzha and ending with the President’s Trophy in Kollam. This would allow tour operators to include the races in brochures for targeted marketing of both national and international tourists,” he says.

But not everyone is travelling this Onam. For K. Amina, who has been organising women-only tours for nine years, this is the first Onam she has had to cancel plans. The war in West Asia driving airfares sky-high derailed her Onam itinerary. A Thailand trip had to be scrapped after ticket prices soared to ₹45,000, compared to just over ₹26,000 for Bali last Onam.

“Many airlines cancelled group bookings, forcing us to rebook at inflated rates, which wrecked our entire budget,” Amina rues.