An itinerary generally includes destinations, sightseeing, sports, and activities. Sunrise and sunset points are steadily becoming travel essentials too. Chasing the golden hour is no longer sulking over waking up early to catch the sunrise. Instead, they are willingly setting alarms, checking sunrise timings, and adjusting their schedules.
Let’s take a closer look to understand how this itinerary trend is unfolding. Ravi Gosain, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), explained why chasing sunrises and sunsets is becoming a significant travel trend and shared the right time to reach popular viewpoints. This contributes to the popularization of the practice of waking up early and definitely staying late in order to rejoice in the colors of the shining sky, which no camera is able to capture properly. In the rush of modern life, India’s magnificent dawns and dusks hold the promise of something priceless.”
Revealing the shift from hurried sightseeing to slower and more intentional travel experiences, Gosain said, “Today, while travelers are realising their quest for meaningful and unforgettable experiences, places for watching sunrises and sunsets are no longer seen merely as an abstraction but are included in travelers’ itineraries as essential elements of their trips.
In practice, what does this look like? It is then followed by breakfast and sightseeing as usual. Similarly, sunset viewing usually becomes the final activity before travellers return to the hotel and have dinner. Gosain also mentioned the major shift in how these activities are perceived. They are no longer just quick photo stops squeezed between sightseeing plans, but rather major experiences around which the itinerary is actively structured. Such experiences are not an afterthought. And anyway, as people reconnect with nature amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Gosain acknowledged the fervent passion, as some even try to catch one last sunset before leaving the destination.
A sunrise experience generally marks the beginning of the day, according to the expert.
