He loved the thrill of getting back to basics in a land which doesn’t usually feature too high on the Indian tourists’ list.
This winter, holidaymakers are looking to get off the beaten path and explore new areas
MUMBAI A compulsive traveller, adman Gopal Mehta of Borivli is just back from a trip to Cairo.
He loved the thrill of getting back to basics in a land which doesn’t usually feature too high on the Indian tourists’ list. The Pyramids of Giza and the Coptic Cairo were simply mesmerising. But haggling for souvenirs in the 600-year-old Khan El-Khalili market using his hands and trying to explain what he wants to eat in restaurants where the menu is in Arabic were unique takeaways.
“You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all,” he says of traditional destinations like Dubai or Singapore. In a place like Egypt, on the other hand, he came away wishing he had more time to soak in the atmosphere. Mehta is not the only one who feels so.
Indians are going places this winter. According to tour operators, they are heading to the likes of Morocco, Turkey, Spain, Greece, Fiji and Cyprus. The mature traveller is also looking at Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Brazil, Japan and Jordan. Specialised tours like eco-tourism, golf tourism, gourmet tourism, wine or chocolate trails also find takers.
Sunil Gupta, COO, SOTC said, “Indians are getting savvier and willing to try our newer destinations.”
As is usual, bookings to Europe and other colder climes is down in with most travellers looking for a tan in sunnier climes. Arup Sen, executive director, Cox & Kings India said, “Traditionally, during the last quarter of the year, demand for short-haul destinations such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Bali, Vietnam and Dubai picks up. The other favourites are Australia and New Zealand.”
Annual growth rate of outbound travel from India is pegged at 30%. While increasing affluence is the biggest reason, seat capacity has gone up to most international destinations.
The appreciation of the rupee vis-à-vis the US dollar has also helped. Parag Mehta, president and head, travel business, Thomas Cook, said, “The number of travellers will increase as the dollar becomes cheaper.”
Aggressive advertising campaigns like the controversial ‘Where the bloody hell are you?’ campaign from Australian tourism also seem to be doing the job. Tourism boards from other countries are also marketing more these days. Cases in point are the UK, Malaysia, Ireland, Singapore and Dubai. Travel has been receiving more space in the media and increases the aspiration to see the world.
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