'Couples Are Moving Beyond Dinner Dates'

With Valentine's Day falling on a Friday, travel is picking up as people look for quick getaways.

With Valentine's Day hours away, love is in the air -- and so are discounts, as couples shop for their special someone.

From flowers to diamonds, businesses expect sales to soar across categories.

Jewellery giant Tanishq, from the house of Tata, will launch the Soulmates collection -- a set of natural diamond engagement rings -- on Valentine's Day.

Forevermark, the retail offering of De Beers Group, has introduced its Forevermark Icon Collection in 18-carat rose, yellow, and white gold, featuring rings, earrings, bracelets, and more.

As more consumers embrace laboratory-grown diamonds, several brands in the young category are hoping for a bumper season.

"We anticipate a 30 to 35 per cent increase in sales this Valentine's Day compared to last year. With a rising consumer inclination toward meaningful, personalised gifting and sustainable luxury, we expect strong demand," said Vidita Kochar, co-founder of Jewelbox.

The company is also offering 20 per cent off on diamonds and 25 per cent off on making charges to boost sales.

Online gifting portals are expecting increased revenue too.

"Valentine's Day remains one of the biggest occasions for gifting, with a growing consumer preference for thoughtful and premium offerings," said Pawan Gadia, global CEO, Ferns N Petals.

"This year, we foresee a 25 to 30 per cent growth over last year, driven by increased demand for personalised gifts, luxury assortments, and exclusive Valentine's collections," Gadia added.

While flowers, especially roses, remain the first choice for gifting, cakes, hampers, and plants also see strong demand this season, Gadia added.

IGP, another major player in the online gifting category, has seen a 30 per cent year-on-year increase in traffic around this Valentine's Day.

"We expect even stronger momentum this year, with a 40 per cent increase in revenue compared to last year. During Valentine's Week, we saw a substantial rise in orders compared to other peak periods," said Tarun Joshi, founder and CEO of IGP.

"Sales surged 15x, driven largely by demand for flowers, especially roses," .

This year, the company has increased its marketing investments by 25 per cent to maximise reach and engagement during this key period," Joshi added.

Accessories company Bagline, which retails brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Aeropostale in India, has curated collections for the occasion and is running a Valentine's Day special lucky draw offer across all its stores.

"We are expecting a 20 per cent growth over the last month and a 10 per cent increase in the average selling price at all our stores," said Abhinav Kumar, co-founder, Brand Concepts.

"Currently, the online Valentine's store is receiving around 2,000 sessions, and in-store footfall continues to grow," added Kumar.

Men's fragrance brand Denver, meanwhile, is seeing over a 250 per cent surge in sales for the season.

Luxury Swiss watchmaker Rado, too, expects sustained momentum in gifting with Valentine's Day, Adrian Bosshard, global CEO of the company, told Business Standard last week.

With Valentine's Day falling on a Friday, travel is also picking up as people look for quick getaways.

"Couples are moving beyond traditional dinner dates to experience luxurious retreats or adventure-packed rendezvous. Whether it's a budget-friendly beach escape or an opulent European getaway, the focus is on connection and exclusivity," said Hari Ganapathy, cofounder, Pickyourtrail.

According to the online travel company, Delhi leads the way in Valentine's Day travel bookings, with Chennai and Bengaluru following closely as major hubs for romantic getaways.

Most couples are opting for a four- to five-day stay, with all-inclusive packages, private transfers, and curated romantic experiences influencing their travel budgets.

Bali remains the top choice, with 21 per cent of travellers heading to the Southeast Asian island, followed by the Maldives, Thailand, and Vietnam.

IndiGo, meanwhile, has announced a limited-time offer with discounts of up to 50 per cent on base airfares for two flyers. The offer is valid until February 16 for select domestic and international routes.

Café Akasa, the onboard meal service from Akasa Air, has also launched its Valentine's Day special gourmet menu, featuring heart-shaped pizza pockets and chocolate-strawberry truffle pastries, among other specially curated dishes available only
this month.

Hospitality giant Radisson is also expecting higher occupancy.

"The weekend following Valentine's Day will see a 15 per cent higher room occupancy compared to a normal weekend in a peak season month," said a Radisson Hotel Group spokesperson.

"There has also been a surge in weddings and wedding-related functions around this weekend at most of our hotels, indicating that Valentine's Day is becoming a preferred day for February weddings."

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com