The pandemic has unleashed waves of uncertainty into our everyday lives, and couples that had tied knots during the pandemic have to play the waiting game until the pandemic is all over before they plan for their wedding honeymoon again. Undoubtedly, the usual fervour of the ‘big fat’ Indian marriages is clearly missing replaced by downsized mini ceremonies this year. This said the love for traditional wedding is far from over.  With the international borders shut indefinitely, the Australian Government had even passed strict orders to even jailing passengers flying from India. 

As per the Wedding Tourism Report by MRSS India in 2019, the size of the wedding market in India was estimated to be INR 110,000 crore of which nearly INR 23,438 crore accounts for destination wedding. This number was slated to double at a staggering rate to INR 45,000 crore by the end of the year 2020, growing at 25-30% per year. However, things changed dramatically post pandemic; honeymoon vacation and tours hit an all-time low. With no clue when this uncertainty will end in the near future, travel and tour operations have come to a screeching halt ever since the outbreak.  

Come 2021, so what are the trends that will dominate in this space post the second wave of the pandemic? Drivable destinations are turning out to be a hot favourite among honeymoon vacationers to avoid long distance travel. The trend is driving travel and tour operators to tailor two- to three-day getaways packages to scenic hill stations, historical and adventure destinations. For a lot of couples, luxury resorts, home villas and rental properties promise a great deal of security as health and safety protocols are strictly followed. Also, honeymoon vacations that are usually full of itineraries have shrunk down to simpler and limited activities and planning for the day.

All said and done, if you’ve tied the nuptial knot, don’t rush to your favourite holiday destination, honeymoon travel can still wait.