KOCHI: Even as the footprints of IT sector are fast growing in the state, a new trend gaining ground among techies to deal with stress is weekend getaways. And leveraging upon this fad are two business segments - tour operators and event management companies. The USP of weekend packages is a cocktail of entertainment and adventure.Some of the hot spots for weekend getaways are the Nelliyampathy forests, Vagamon hills, Marayoor valley and the hilly terrains of Wayanad.Data provided by tour operators reveal that the number of IT professionals planning weekend trips is on the rise.“The number of weekend picnickers is between 3,000 and 3,500 this year so far, as compared to the total number of 2,000 to 2,500 last year,” C P Ajithkumar, president, Travel Operators Association of Kerala, said.“The expenses for these trips are flexible. We usually charge Rs 1,200 per person, excluding transportation and food charges. We provide them accommodation, a guide and a tribesman to assist them in trekking. If they demand, we provide them a cook,” Nihad S, marketing manager with a city-based tour operator, said.“Regular IT groups consist of about six members and they are usually mixed. Preferring to stay in the wilderness, in a bid to bond with nature, most of them avoid popular resorts,” he said.The second week of August this year is a busy time for operators as, thanks to the Independence Day, three holidays fall in a row, he said. “We closed bookings by mid-July,” he said.“Another reason for going on such trips is that there is no night life in Kochi and Thiruvanathapuram. So the options to chill out and relax are less,” TCS employee Ratheeshkumar said.
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