Sachin Jakatdar, director, Sachin Travels said, “From the number of bookings we have received, I think half of Mumbai will be outside holidaying. All the hotels are packed and most of our tours have already been sold out.”

According to tour operators, the number of bookings have increased manifold as compared to other weekends. “There is 100 per cent occupancy in most hotels in areas like Mahabaleshwar, Lonavla and Alibaug — the most popular weekend destinations among Mumbaiites. In times like these, the only hotels available are either the very expensive ones or the cheap sub-standard lodges. It is difficult to meet this increasing demand,” explained Hemant Bhatt of Mahim-based Vibha Tours.

Sanjay Deshpande, manager (operations), Raja Rani Travels agreed, “We do face accommodation problems. Hotel room tariffs and transport rates also increase considerably during such holidays. But people do not mind splurging during such breaks.”

A Ranekar of Ajinkya Travels, Dadar is of the opinion that this short vacation is especially significant because it comes after a break of almost three months after the December vacation and also because it just precedes the summer vacation. “Once vacation starts it is difficult to get good hotels unless advanced booking is done. Most Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) students would finish their exams. Then there are others who want to avoid Holi in the city and hence prefer to go out,” he said.

“We have noticed that people in the city take at least three or four short breaks every year. They wait for such long weekends to do so. This week is one such week and many people are taking this opportunity to travel,” said Karan Anand, head, business development, Cox and Kings India Ltd.

Anand said that Goa, Pune, and the Konkan belt had maximum number of bookings from Mumbai. Some even preferred flying down to Kerala and enjoy the backwaters. With a number of low-cost carriers offering discounts it makes it very affordable, he said.

Cox and Kings is among many tour operators in the city who are offering specially designed weekend packages, for example a compact three-day four-night Goa tour that will cover sightseeing, Mandovi river cruise and a free shuttle service to Calangute beach everyday. “We do have weekend packages all year round. However, when we see a long weekend coming up we tailor make more options for the traveller. The idea is to provide the customer with a choice,” said Anand.

Cox and Kings is also tapping high-end consumers who prefer sojourning in resorts, offering two-nights three-days packages at destinations like Mussorie, Puri, Shimla and Jaipur.