NEW DELHI: Holiday cheer is in short supply this season thanks to rising inflation, a weak rupee and economic uncertainty. In these straitened times, it doesn’t help that year-end travel prices have risen alarmingly. Indians have naturally had to sharply curtail their travel, preferring the tried, tested and relatively cheap to the adventurous, exotic and outrageously expensive. Preferred Christmas and New Year destinations are the Taj Mahal, a trek up the Himalayas, or for those who must go abroad, a short trip somewhere close by.
“Look around you. Every industry is suffering – autos and homes, FB and retail,” said Sharat Dhall, president of travel site Yatra.com. “Even if people want to travel during the Christmas and New Year break, they have no option but to cut down on budgets.”
Average spends have dropped nearly 10%, with more people buying holidays within the country, Dhall said.
Tourists who would choose destinations such as Australia or South Africa have settled for Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bali or Bangkok. And those who went there last year are travelling domestic.
Vijayant Dhaka, a business development head at a Delhi-based ad agency, wanted to gift his wife an overseas trip on their anniversary, but settled for a sojourn at Udaipur because of budgets and savings going haywire in past few months. “We went to Greece last time and were planning a year-end trip to Italy and France. But it was not to be. Foreign trips have become expensive.”
The rupee, although stronger than it was in August, is still playing spoilsport. “The currency isn’t helping,” said Vishal Sinha, chief operating officer at travel company TUI.
Meanwhile, year-end prices have shot up dramatically, making travel unaffordable for many families. A regular 3-night, five-star package to Dubai that costs around Rs 37,000 per person is Rs 90,000 for the last week of the year. A 4-night package to Singapore costs Rs 65,000 per person compared with Rs 47,000 at other times.
“It’s cut, chop and adjust to budget out there. Add-ons are out of the window. Long haul is a no-no,” said Rajji Rai, special adviser to the Travel Agents Association of India and managing director of Swift Travels.
Even domestic hotspots like Goa haven’t been spared. A four-night, five-star package to Goa costs Rs 80,000 per person compared with around Rs 50,000 at other times.
“Price, especially led by the steep increase in the price of air tickets this year, has become a big barrier for travel,” said Tarique Khatri, senior vice-president of business development at travel portal Cleartrip.com.
Within the country, while Goa is still the favourite with party animals irrespective of the high airfares, people are also travelling to old-time favourites such as Jaipur and Udaipur besides Khajuraho, Corbett, Manali, Agra, Coorg and Mysore, among others.
“We have seen people booking a lot more of standalone hotels rather than take packages to destinations that involve air travel. They prefer to take road trips to eliminate the need to fly,” said Dhall.
Lucknow, not London: Rupee, inflation keep Indian travellers home
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