This year again, the majority of the Indians are thinking of visiting Srinagar and Leh to enjoy the summer vacations. However, keeping the affordable packages in mind, foreign destinations like Bali, Thailand, and Singapore are also in demand.
Summer vacations of schools are about to begin from the first week of June. The parents of the children are busy planning to go out on vacations. This year again, most Indian families are thinking of visiting Srinagar and Leh to enjoy the summer vacations. However, keeping the affordable packages in mind, people are also opting to head for neighbouring foreign destinations like Bali, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and South Asian countries. Dubai is an evergreen destination, although it is no more the top priority for spending summer holidays. People now prefer to fly to Dubai on weekends.
If you consider a 3-day and 4-night vacation in Kashmir the cost is around Rs 30,000 per person, but for the same vacation in Thailand, it comes out to Rs 40,000 only per person. In the case of Bali, the package cost is something around Rs 60,000 per person. In such a case, people prefer to visit the foreign lands. Then air travel has also impacted the travel budget, as packages are costing 10 to 15 percent more than usual.
The air travel industry in India is in trouble again after the financial condition of GoFirst deteriorated further. On the one hand, air passengers are increasing but the carriers are decreasing. Practically, only two companies are effectively handling 80% of the travel market. They are Indigo and the Tata Group. Vistara is about to merge with Air India and the condition of SpiceJet is not as good as earlier. This situation is making the prices of airlines to higher wildly. Although, DGCA, the aviation watchdog, has warned airlines to keep the prices under control.
Meanwhile, the tourism ministry participated in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), where it showcased ‘Incredible India’ and also launched the ‘Visit India Year 2023’ campaign. The Arabian Travel Market was held from 1 to 4 May in Dubai, UAE. ATM is one of the leading global events for the travel and tourism industry, attracting visitors and exhibitors from around the world. India’s participation in the Arabian Travel Market 2023 was a significant step towards promoting India as a preferred travel destination among the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) markets. With its diverse culture, heritage, cuisine, natural beauty, adventure, luxury, wildlife, and wellness, our country is a popular destination for travellers seeking unique and authentic experiences.
The ‘Visit India Year 2023’ campaign focused on India’s diverse tourism offerings and the country’s commitment to sustainable tourism practices. India showcased India’s rich cultural and natural heritage, including its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, wildlife sanctuaries, and spiritual destinations.
Safety and Security of the tourists being one of the prime concerns, the Ministry of Tourism has a 24×7 Toll-Free Multi-Lingual Tourist Helpline in a total of 12 languages in Hindi and English, 10 international languages namely, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. This helpline is available on the existing Toll-Free Number 1800111363 or on a short code 1363 for dialing in India and offers assistance to callers during times of distress while travelling in India and if need be alert the concerned authorities, the statement added.
The writer is a senior journalist and columnist. Twitter @narvijayyadav
