Indians turning to holidays 'next door'
The fastest-growing aviation route out of India is to China, according to a recent article in the Indian business newspaper The Economic Times.
During the first six months of the year, the number of Indians travelling 'next door' to China increased almost 18 per cent, against overall growth in outbound international travel of 10 per cent. What is more, for the first time, a large number are leisure travellers, many from Mumbai.
Indians stepped into the world of international holidays cautiously, first sticking to familiar destinations such as Singapore and Dubai. These places offered the joy of being 'foreign' with some comforts of home. Then it was Europe's turn, thanks to tour packages that offered safe and well-planned itineraries, often complete with Indian food. Now the focus seems to be on China.
Journalist Pallavi Aiyar, who lived and worked in the mainland for several years, writes in her book, Smoke and Mirrors, that China's culture is the most alien to Indians. With a sense of adventure growing among Mumbai's affluent, though, China is emerging as a preferred destination along with other 'alien' countries such as Turkey and New Zealand.
Thomas Thottathil, head of corporate communications for the international travel agency Cox & Kings, says: 'Indians used to go to China only on business trips or for trade fairs, but it's now attracting people who want an interesting holiday. Hong Kong has always been a popular destination. Now Macau is also becoming popular, being just a ferry ride away from Hong Kong and mainland China.'
As to why China is becoming more popular as a holiday destination, Thottathil says: 'Their culture is as ancient as India's, yet the country is modernising very quickly, and this is fascinating for Indians. With China being in the news so much, many Indians want to go and see what the fuss is all about.'
Ashwin Narayanan, chief operating officer of the travel agency Travel Tours, agrees: 'There's a lot of curiosity about the country. Now, apart from popular destinations like Beijing and Shanghai, they want to explore other regions like Guilin or take a cruise on the Yangtze.'
Surveys by the Indian travel industry have found that Singapore remains the most popular destination for business and leisure travellers from India, but, last year, more than 549,000 Indians travelled to the mainland, up from 448,000 in 2009. So the next time you see a group of women in colourful saris in Guilin or Xian, don't be surprised. Just smile and say: 'Namaste.'
