Mangaluru: Southeast Asian countries are the most preferred international destinations for Mangaloreans this summer season, according to travel agents in the city, though overall travel demand has seen a decline compared to last year.Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have emerged as the most common choices across agencies. Travel agents said these destinations remain popular for short-duration trips, typically spanning five to six days. Other Southeast Asian locations such as Vietnam, Bali and Indonesia are also witnessing steady interest.A representative from Riya travels noted that Singapore continues to attract a significant number of bookings. An executive from Go Kite travels said they had seen large number of bookings for Thailand, Bali, Malaysia and Vietnam during summer season, and that during rainy season not many prefer going there, but the agency was reporting bookings for Bali, Singapore, Mauritius and Indonesia. Inputs from other agencies also indicate that Southeast Asia destinations including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and island locations are widely preferred by travellers from the city. Some agencies also reported bookings to Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan.An executive of a private travel agency in the city said bookings for them for summer season were largely towards Japan, China and Europe, while bookings to Southeast Asia remained average, among them Bali and Vietnam were most preferred. He also said that this year they had less bookings for Dubai, owing to war tensions.Many travel agents in the city also pointed out to a dip in international travel this year. Mohammed Musthaq from Fly tours said that demand has dropped by nearly 50%, with only around 15-20 families booking international trips this year, compared to about 50 bookings during the same period last year.Another agent said bookings have reduced compared to last year, estimating a decline of around 12%–14%. Another travel operator attributed the slowdown to external factors, including uncertainty due to war-like situation, and a sharp rise in fuel prices, flight cancellations and fears among travellers about being stranded in foreign countries. Despite the dip, travel activity continues, with some agents noting that bookings are picking up gradually.
