Author: Azera Rahman
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 24, 2010
URL: http://lite.epaper.timesofindia.com/mobile.aspx?article=yes&pageid=62&edlabel=CAP&mydateHid=24-01-2010&pubname=&edname=&articleid=Ar06200&format=&publabel=TOI
At the top of Delhiites R-Day getaway list
is the Maha Kumbh Mela in Haridwar
It may not be the perfect extended weekend,
but Republic Day, which falls on a Tuesday, has nevertheless enthused Delhi
residents to draw up short getaway plans, with many taking this as an opportunity
to visit the Maha Kumbh in Haridwar.
According to the Indian Association of Tour
Operators (IATO), holiday bookings for the coming weekend are not only phenomenally
high, theyve also seen a jump of about 10 per cent. There has been a jump
of about 10 per cent in the holiday bookings for the coming weekend. A number
of people are opting to take official leave on January 25 so as to enjoy a
four-day getaway to some place nearby or venture somewhere further, says Gour
Kanjilal, an IATO official.
Among all places, Haridwar in Uttarakhand
has been booked to the hilt thanks to the Maha Kumbh Mela. Three-night packages
worth costing Rs 15,000 are all sold out, he added. The Maha Kumbh, a religious
fair, occurs once in 12 years and has few parallels. While the fair will be
on till April 28, a number of people, especially office-goers, have decided
to take advantage of the weekend and visit the fair now.
Aruna Sharma, a banker who is planning to
take her mother to the religious gathering over the weekend, said, For office-goers,
getting leave is difficult. Since my mother wanted to visit the Maha Kumbh
and I managed to get a day off on January 25, it has worked out as a good
four-day getaway for us.
Besides Haridwar, most of those who are opting
for a trip are going to places like Jaipur, Jim Corbett National Park, Agra,
Matheran and Goa, said travel operators. Goa is one of the favourite destinations
for Delhiites this weekend. However, the popular hill stations for short vacations
are not doing well. Its already so cold in Delhi that people dont want to
go to another cold place for a holiday, said Richa Goyal Sikri, director,
Group Business Development, STIC travel group. Agreed Kanjilal, The papers
are full of news of accidents because of fog, delay in flights and train schedules
and chilling temperatures in North India. Delhi is already freezing, so who
would want to go to a hill station now Goa, therefore, has emerged as a favourite
place. Added Sikri, There is a jump of about 10-15 per cent in the holiday
bookings for this weekend until January 26.
And, the bookings are not just high on the
domestic front, but also for destinations abroad, said Sabina Chopra, cofounder
of the travel portal yatra.com. People, especially from the metros, have planned
short trips of two nights and three days to destinations like Hong Kong, Sri
Lanka, Maldives, Kathmandu, Singapore, Dubai, Manila and Thailand. Many of
them have opted for holiday packages so that they can see most of the places
there and enjoy themselves in the limited time available, said Chopra.
