pic vista roomsif theres one thing we have realised during this pandemic it is to cherish and spend time with the people we have in our lives now with lockdown restrictions being lifted and vaccines rolled out with ease in most parts of the country there is a strong urge to reunite with friends and family as per future of travel research conducted by bookingcom 67 per cent of indian travellers plan to use future travel as an opportunity to reconnect with their loved ones and why not travel is a great way for people to bond and embrace new experiences together we find out more about the reunion travel trendwhy travel together when one can plan a visitreunion travel is certainly going to be one of the top trends this year the most painful part of this pandemic among other things was the inability to visit family members and friends says souvagya mohapatra md atmosphere hotels and resorts for india sri lanka nepal and bhutan hence venturing out and socialising with loved ones appears on the top of everyones todo list for the coming months however the question is why travel together when one can simply plan a visit meeting a friend at a cafe or visiting a relative can be fun only for a while moreover space constraints in big cities make it tough to host a big group and the fear of contracting the virus in a closed space can hinder plans which is why reunion travel is in says devendra parulekar founder saffronstays while i live in mumbai my parents live in bangalore i havent visited them since covid19 as i have a 2yearold child and we didnt want to expose her to the virus by travelling however with the number of covid cases going down and easing of travel restrictions we are finally visiting family this august we will reach bangalore and take off on a holiday to hampi so that we can all spend quality time together says businessman chetan vashist parulekar adds that he has been witnessing more and more group bookings of guests celebrating missed birthdays anniversaries and milestones or simply wanting to unwind and reconnect minus outsiders groups of families friends prefer nature getawaysinternational travel bans have made it challenging for groups of friends and families to explore an exotic new country hence currently the focus is on taking short trips to offbeat locations in india many groups are opting for roadtrips to nearby places as a driving holiday is not only safe but also allows a family to spend more time together says allen machado chief operating officer niraamaya wellness retreats for a group holiday amid the pandemic people are considering beach and mountain destinations along with experiences centred around nature and wellness people are looking at spending time in the wilderness which is an antidote to urban life also since they are travelling in a group they prefer a singledestination relaxing vacation rather than hopping from one place to