With spiralling airfares making air travel out of reach for most vacationers this summer, a large number of them are planning to take a small holiday during the weekend starting August 14.

"Bookings have jumped by 20 per cent for the coming weekend," said Sandeep Bhatnagar, head of domestic travel agency Thomas Cook India.

But given the limited number of days, vacationers are showing a preference for areas that are near to their cities and preferably, can be reached by car. The areas in demand are hill stations or beaches four-five hours away from a city.

For hotels in the vicinity, this is the right time to rake in the moolah. For instance, room rentals at some of the vacation spots near Mumbai have gone up by as much as 30-150 per cent.

"In areas like Lonavala and Igatpuri, there are hardly any rooms available in the budget hotels category. The room rentals in the luxury category have also shot up from Rs 6,000-12,000 to Rs 20,000 now," said a trade executive.

However, tour operator Cox & Kings said that there are packages available for a couple for Rs 4,000 as well, generating good demand.

"The demand for weekend holidays is primarily for domestic destinations. People prefer to be closer home or take short flights between Mumbai and Goa," said Karan Anand, head (business development), Cox & Kings.

While domestic travel is in high demand, the scenario is not all that gloomy for tour operators catering to the customers looking for foreign jaunts.

Tour operator Kuoni Holidays & SOTC said they have on offer 'Just Fly Out' packages, where a customer can book 24

hours in advance. The package is all about making quick escape without having to worry too much about booking flights, accommodation and airport transfers by a private vehicle. These destinations are mostly the South East Asian hot spots.

"Often customers, who want to travel on long weekends, do not have time to plan them properly. The 'Just Fly Out' packages are targeted towards such people where we plan a holiday for them at the desired destination," said Sunil Gupta, chief operating officer, Kuoni Holidays & SOTC.

"It is the perfect combination of a luxurious getaway at a short notice, with everything taken care of. Given the increased stress levels and work pressure, young working couples and corporate professionals often plan quick getaways during weekends," Gupta said.

HOT SPOT Given that the number of days are few, vacationers are giving preference to nearby areas The areas in demand are hill stations or beaches 4-5 hours away from a city In Lonavala and Igatpuri, rooms are not available in budget hotels Room rentals in the luxury category have also shot up from Rs 6,000-12,000 to Rs 20,000 now While domestic travel is in high demand, the scenario is not all that gloomy for tour operators catering to the customers of foreign jaunts