England, Switzerland, Italy among old faves back on Kol’s summer itinerary
Times of India | 17 May 2024
Kolkata: Old favourites England, France, Italy and Switzerland have made a comeback as sought-after destinations for travellers from Kolkata this summer.
Travel to these countries had seen a dip after Covid following visa constraints in the aftermath of backlogs in processing travel documents. But travel agents in Kolkata said demand for trips to the UK, paired with France, Italy and Switzerland, was strong this summer.The average per head cost of a 12-day Europe tour is Rs 2.5 lakh.
While the UK leg of the tour comprises England, primarily London and day trips to Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and Bath, and Scotland, Edinburgh and trips to the Scottish Highlands, France has Paris with trips to Versailles and Nice with day trips to Eze, Monaco and Monte Carlo. A six-day Italy tour includes Milan, Venice, with day trips to Murano, Burano and Torcello, and Rome, with day trips to Pompei and the Amalfi coast while Switzerland has Zurich, Interlaken, Lucerne and Geneva on the itinerary.
“Customers are willing to spend 20% more than earlier to get a better holiday experience,” said Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) national executive member Anil Punjabi.
In East and Southeast Asia, Korea is the new favourite. While an eight-day trip to Japan costs around Rs 4 lakh per person, customers are lapping up the opportunity for a trip to Seoul, Jeju Islands and Busan at half the cost.
“Many families that are visiting friends and relatives on the west coast of the US are opting for a holiday in Korea as a visa is not required for up to 15 days if one transits the country while travelling to America,” said Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) chairman (east) Manav Soni.
Budget travellers are choosing two destinations in Southeast Asia for a 10-day tour for around Rs 1.3 lakh per head. These include a mix-and-match of Thailand’s Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands and Langkawi, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang, and Singapore.
Closer home, Sri Lanka, that has waived visa requirements, is also in demand although the lack of a direct flight means travellers have to fly through Chennai. A six-day trip to Colombo, Kandy and Dambulla costs around Rs 70,000 per person.
There are also takers for Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Preferred mostly by families who want to relax and shop, a four-day trip costs around Rs 1.5 lakh per person.
Travel agents said while several families were set to fly out this weekend when schools shut for the summer break, there are many who will take flights in the first week of June, after the elections.