The Republic Day holiday, falling on a Monday, acted as a catalyst for travel, compared to last year when the January 26 holiday fell on a Sunday. The spike starts on January 23 (Friday) and peaks on January 24 (Saturday), as travellers start their trips early to make the most of the extended weekend

TOP 5 DOMESTIC LEISURE DESTINATIONS

Domestic leisure travel trends for the Republic Day long weekend showed both continuity and shifts year-on-year. In 2025, Goa led the list of top destinations, followed by Udaipur, Jaipur, Manali, and Munnar. In 2026, Goa retained its top position, while Jaipur and Udaipur swapped ranks to take the second and third spots, respectively. Manali continued to feature among the top four destinations, and Pondicherry entered the top five in 2026

SPIRITUAL TRAVEL IS SEEING STRONG DEMAND

In terms of spiritual travel, destinations such as Puri, Varanasi, Amritsar, Ayodhya, Ujjain, Dwarka, Udupi, and Tirupati are seeing strong demand.

TOP 5 INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS

In 2025, the UAE emerged as the most preferred international destination, followed by Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia. In 2026, Thailand moved to the top spot, with the UAE close behind in second place. Vietnam stood out this year, rising sharply from 10th position in 2025 to become the third most booked international destination for the long weekend. Malaysia retained its fourth position, while Singapore featured fifth among the top international choices.

TOP 5 INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS FROM KEY METRO CITIES

• Delhi travellers showed a preference for Dubai, followed by Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, and Bali.
• From Mumbai, Dubai emerged as the top destination, with Bangkok, Phuket, Singapore, and Colombo also featuring among the top five.
• Bengaluru travellers favoured Bangkok most, followed by Dubai, Phuket, Colombo, and Singapore.
• Chennai saw Bangkok lead outbound travel choices, followed by Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Colombo.
• From Kolkata, Bangkok ranked highest, with Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Dubai, and Singapore completing the list of top international destinations

TOP 5 DOMESTIC DESTINATIONS FROM KEY METRO CITIES

• Travellers from Delhi preferred Goa the most, followed by Jaipur, Rishikesh, Mussoori, and Udaipur.
• From Mumbai, Goa led domestic choices, with Lonavala, Alibag, Mahabaleshwar, and Karjat rounding off the top five.
• Bengaluru travellers showed a strong preference for Goa, followed by Mysore, Coorg, Pondicherry, and Wayanad.
• Chennai’s top domestic destinations included Goa, Auroville, Yelagiri, Yercaud, and Ooty.
• From Kolkata, Mandarmani emerged as the most preferred destination, followed by Digha, Darjeeling, Go,a and Shantiniketan

TOP 5 DOMESTIC HOLIDAY PACKAGE DESTINATIONS

1. Kerala
2. Andaman
3. Goa
4. Rajasthan
5. Tamil Nadu

TOP 5 INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY PACKAGE DESTINATIONS

1. Thailand
2. Vietnam & Cambodia
3. UAE
4. Maldives
5. Indonesia

“The appetite for weekend travel remains strong, with the extended Republic Day weekend presenting an opportunity for travel. There is a preference for nearby destinations, evident in the top travel choices from each metro. That said, Goa remains the favourite leisure destination within India. Internationally, the skew towards easy-visa destinations continues to gain traction. Countries with direct connectivity to multiple cities are leading demand, with Thailand at the forefront and Vietnam also performing strongly.” – Rajesh Magow, Co-founder & Group CEO, MakeMyTrip

The post Exploring Travel Trends: How India Celebrated the Republic Day Long Weekend appeared first on NRI News.

Both teams enter the match tied in third place on 31 points, although Atleti do have a game in hand. The stakes could hardly be higher, with the winner potentially taking a significant step towards the championship.

The match will also see Joao Felix and Antoine Griezmann lead their current attacking lines against the clubs they represented not so long ago. It could also be a big night for Diego Simeone, who has never won an away match against Barca during his 12 years coaching Atleti, but who will look to do so for the first time at the Estadi Olimpic.

But the FC Barcelona vs Atletico de Madrid clash is just one of several exciting fixtures on the Matchday 15 schedule. On Friday night, UD Las Palmas will take on Getafe CF in a fascinating contest between two teams with different but effective styles.

Saturday’s action begins with Girona FC looking to get back to winning ways against Valencia CF, while Athletic Club will aim to build on last matchday’s positive result when they take on Rayo Vallecano at home. Later on Saturday afternoon, new Granada CF coach Alexander Medina makes his debut in charge of the Andalusian outfit with an away game at Real Madrid.

Sunday’s action begins in the Balearic Islands, where RCD Mallorca face Deportivo Alaves. An Andalusian derby follows, as UD Almeria host Real Betis. Sevilla FC vs Villarreal CF follows, as Marcelino, the new coach of El Submarino Amarillo, returns to one of his former clubs.

The final game of Matchday 15 follows on Monday night, as RC Celta face off against Cadiz CF. With both these teams firmly in the relegation battle, this is an important six-pointer and one well worth tuning in to.

Overall, Matchday 15 of the 2023/24 LALIGA EA SPORTS season promises to be a thrilling weekend of football, with several exciting fixtures on the schedule. Don’t miss a minute of the action – watch LALIGA EA SPORTS live this weekend on your local broadcaster.

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Kickstart your weekend on a high note with the electrifying tunes of DJ Nakul C on Friday, 3rd November. The party begins at 7:00 p.m. and you can expect a night filled with fun and fantastic music that will keep you grooving all night long.

Saturday night at Akari promises to be an unforgettable experience. Join us on 4th November at 7:00 p.m. for an incredible night with DJ KEN. Get ready to dance in sync with your friends as DJ KEN spins the hottest tracks that will keep the energy high.

Indulge in a unique Sunday brunch experience at Akari on 5th November, starting at 1:00 p.m. Enjoy live stations and a lavish spread of beverages, appetizers, main courses, and desserts. DJ Parth & Prithvi will set the perfect chill-out vibe, making your Sunday truly special.

Keep the Sunday fun going into the night with DJ Parth & Prithvi. Starting in the evening, this Sunday night event promises to be full of fun, music, food, and drinks. Make your Sunday evening memorable before you head back to the grind.

Dance, dine, and create memories at Akari—where the weekend is more than just an escape; it’s a celebration!

Date: 3rd November to 5th November

Time: 7 pm onwards

Address: 37C, N Main Road, Koregaon Park, Pune

For more information, contact: +91 9518995436

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• Ready to book personalized Domestic & International holidays starting at Rs. 12,549.00* for 4 days
• Unique experiences, outdoor adventure, wellness, and spa cations; also spiritual getaways
• Buy One Get One – Companion Free across select Indian & International holidays

MUMBAI: With Republic Day falling on a Thursday, the second last week of January offers an ideal opportunity for an exciting extended weekend getaway. We are seeing a brisk demand of over 25% from families, young professionals/millennials, and couples. To capitalize on this opportunity, Thomas Cook India, India’s leading omnichannel travel services company, and its Group Company, SOTC Travel, have introduced a range of exciting holidays with special offers across domestic and international destinations starting at Rs. 12,549.00* for 4 days.

Thomas Cook and SOTC’s consumer data reveals growing demand for short holidays/mini-cations – with 63% of respondents displaying a keen interest in the upcoming Republic Day long weekend. Over 70% of the respondents indicated a preference for domestic locales, while 30% were open to short-haul international options.

To tap into the extended weekend demand Thomas Cook India and SOTC have launched an exciting holiday range to favorite Indian locales including Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the North East; also beach destinations like Goa and Andamans. Closer-to-home and easy visa destinations like South East Asia’s Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia; also Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Maldives, and Mauritius are in demand for this extended weekend.

Thomas Cook and SOTC’s extended weekend holidays include a range of ready-to-book and personalized experiences: outdoor and adventure, including safaris, biking, hiking/trekking, camping, river rafting, and paragliding; lunch in the midst of an apple orchard and stays in coffee plantations/tea estates; visiting nearby locales, spa-wellness getaways and cruise holidays; also spiritual tours. Additionally, cultural experiences such as Odisha’s Konark Eco Retreat, Varanasi Tent City, Jal Mahotsav in Madhya Pradesh, and Rann Utsav in Gujarat.

Mr. Rajeev Kale, President & Country Head – Holidays, MICE, Visa, Thomas Cook (India) Limited said,

“With Republic Day falling on Thursday, customers are offered a great opportunity for an extended weekend getaway! To help our customers plan a memorable holiday, we have launched an exciting range of tours across domestic and closer-to-home destinations with attractive offers like Buy One Get One Free – Companion offers across select Indian and international destinations. Customers can select from our array of options: safari-outdoor-adventure, wellness getaways, cruises, and plenty more.

Additionally, our unique omnichannel network offers customers the convenience of selecting their preferred mode of contacting us: via our holiday apps, virtual holiday store, portal, call center, or extensive retail outlets pan India.”

Mr. Daniel D’souza President & Country Head – Of holidays, at SOTC Travel Limited, said, “Public holidays that are closer to the weekend can be utilized for an exciting holiday getaway. For this upcoming long weekend of Republic Day, we are seeing a 25% increase in travel demand from various segments including families; millennials/young professionals, and couples to explore both domestic and international locales. Our long weekend getaways include unique experiences at attractive price points to a range of favorite destinations including Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa, Andamans, and the North East; South East Asia’s Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia; also Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Maldives, and Mauritius.”

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