Others | Jan 13, 2025 | 8 min read Extended weekend sets travel plans soaring

With a weekend ahead of Uttarayan, many Amdavadis have already left the city for national and international destinations. Uttarayan this year falls on Tuesday and given that most offices also have an off the next day, Amdavadis get to club the weekend before Uttarayan to go on a short trip. In fact, many are even flying to places like Thailand and Dubai for four to six nights while others are travelling to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand and Udaipur and Mt Abu in Rajasthan. Places that can be quickly reached by road like Jhadol are also attracting visitors. For domestic travel people prefer three to four nights, opine travel agents in the city. 

Paras Lakhia, national treasurer of Travel Agents Association Of India (TAAI) said the long weekend, starting from the second Saturday of the month, ahead of Uttarayan has resulted in people travelling both nationally and internationally, opting for a three to six nights package. 

“This includes international destinations like Phuket and Krabi in Thailand. Even Dubai is equally popular among footloose Amdavadis.” Those who are unable to club their weekends with Uttarayan prefer to go to Sasan Gir, Statue of Unity (SoU) and even religious destinations like Dwarka and Somnath. Nishith Notani, an Ahmedabad-based travel operator said, “Since Rannotsav is fully booked during Uttarayan festivities, people are preferring to explore other destinations in Gujarat, including religious places.”
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“However, the love for Udaipur, Mt Abu, Kumbhalgadh, Jhadol, Jawai and similar other places in Rajasthan, which are 250 to 300 km from Ahmedabad, continue particularly for last minute travellers,”he added. 

Since Rannotsav is fully booked during Uttarayan festivities, people are preferring to explore other destinations in Gujarat, including religious places 
–Nishith Notani,
Travel operator