Travel and hospitality technology platform OYO on April 14 said it received over 3.1 lakh bookings for the last festive weekend from April 8-10, making it the highest so far in 2022, with travel optimism reaching its peak in the country.

The bookings for the weekend, that coincided with Navratri and Ashtami, were much higher than the weekend bookings for peak travel days such as Republic Day, Holi, and Valentine's Day, OYO said in a statement.

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"Travel optimism is at an all-time high across the country. As restrictions are eased and air travel bans lifted, travellers are looking forward to celebrating festivals with their loved ones, heading out on summer vacations and making the most of their long weekends," said Shreerang Godbole, OYO Senior Vice President, Product & Chief Service Officer.

He further said: "Over three lakh travellers opted to stay at OYOs across India and we are expecting the upcoming Good Friday/Baisakhi long weekend to be the highest ever since the pandemic in 2020."

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OYO said its booking data from April 8-10, 2022 revealed that leisure destinations like Srinagar, Manali, Shirdi, Prayagraj, Chandigarh, Gwalior, and Ludhiana saw the highest growth. Additionally, over two lakh OYO hotels witnessed 100 percent occupancy.'

Stating that the surge during the festive weekend is a testament to the travel boom that is ahead in 2022, Godbole said, "Overall, this summer is set to be the season of pre-pandemic travel recovery."

As people are ready to travel again, he said, "We stay committed to make quality accommodations available to suit the needs of every traveller."