Summer sights

TOURISM: For the season's travel jinx to break, there's a need for better promotions and even better facilities.

It's not peak summer yet but the mercury has already broken the 40 degree C barrier. This is also the time when international tourist flow gradually starts waning. Summer has traditionally been a low season for Indian tourism, precisely why the ministry of tourism has been talking about promoting India during this season, rather making India a 365 day destination.

It is quite a contrast. Winters are packed and there's not a single cheap room available at any of our leisure destinations (It's a blessing if one can find a room in the first place!). On the other hand, the summer season goes mostly empty.

But if the ministry's efforts were to pay off, the situation might be changing. Several operators who came back from ITB Berlin earlier this year say they received several enquiries from European operators about the coming summer.

WelcomHeritage Hotels at some leisure destinations have seen a 15 per cent growth in bookings. Says Sunil Sikka, their marketing head, "We got quite a few enquiries about the summer at ITB. These were mainly from middle level travellers looking for low season discounts as well as ease of travel."

The golden triangle in the north and Kerala in the south though are doing much better this summer. Compared to last year, there has been a 20 per cent growth in leisure for WelcomHotel Rajputana Palace Sheraton, Jaipur. "China, Eurasia and Iran are the new source markets for us in the summer months," says general manager Sanjay Kirpal.

There are, however, several operators who feel that the government campaign to promote summers hasn't helped much. Sunirmol Ghosh, managing director, Indo-Asia Tours, feels that the campaign alone cannot do much for tourism. It has to be backed by a good product on the ground, which is surely lacking, they say.

"The hotels too took a long time announcing their summer discounts. They started sometime in April and even with a very small lead time for summers, it is already too late," he explains.

Traditionally, there has been a demand from the French, Italian and Spanish markets during the summer months. "We also see this space being filled by leisure tourists from the Far East and Taiwan," says Arup Sen, executive director, Cox & Kings.

For Le Passage to India, business during May has improved over last year. June, however, continues to look bad. "We've got several European bookings for May," says Ghulam Naqshband, chairman emeritus, Le Passage to India. Apart from the Spaniards and Italians, there are Greeks too who are coming in for the golden triangle.

There is good news and then there is some bad news as well. The good news is that more people are coming in for adventure. Ladakh is doing well and so are other adventure destinations.

"One of the main reasons for this is the decline of tourism in Nepal," says Sunil Mendiratta, managing director, Milestones Adventures and Expeditions.

For expeditions, there are groups from Korea, France and Italy and for trekking, apart from the above, there are British, German and a few Australian groups as well.

One of the other reasons for improved inbound adventure tourism is that business has moved to the destinations, cutting out the middlemen, and in the process, reducing rates.

The bad news is that Kashmir is not doing too well. This is mainly because there are advisories against it in Europe. There is floating news though that UK might soon withdraw the advisories, which should be good for the destination.

Evergreen Goa gets a few Russian charters during the summer and then there are the pilgrims on the Buddhist circuit. "Most Buddhist tourists in the summer are from Sri Lanka and some are from Thailand. Sri Lankan pilgrims look at low summer rates and 90 per cent of them visit Bodhgaya," says Lajpat Rai, managing director, Lotus Trans Travels.

There is at least 25-30 per cent growth in traffic on the Buddhist circuit this year and the new train "" Maha-Parinirvana Special "" and the government's Buddhist campaign has surely helped, says Rai.

But whatever the way, the travel industry feels that the only way to improve the summer situation is through events and engaging activities. And that calls for better participation.