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Hotels, two-wheeler rental outlets hit by dip in tourist inflow

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Lying idle: There have been no takers for two-wheelers on rent during the last three weeks.

PUDUCHERRY: The hotel industry and two-wheeler rental service providers in Puducherry have started to feel the pinch owing to a slight dip in the arrival of foreign and domestic tourists in the recent days.

Several hotel industrialists said that there had been a marginal decline in the number of tourists, especially during the last three weeks. “We did not receive that many inquires. Two foreign groups from France cancelled their bookings. The travel agent informed us that the clients had cancelled their plans owing to recession,” manager of a heritage hotel on Vysial Street told The Hindu.

There were also cancellations of bulk bookings from Bangalore in the last three weeks, he added. A few other hotels also received cancellations from foreign tourists and bookings for holding seminars.

“There has been considerable reduction in the weekend crowd, mostly IT professionals and staff of BPO companies, from Chennai and Bangalore. Usually during weekends, the rooms are full. The situation is different in the last three weeks,” a senior manager of a hotel on S.V. Patel Salai, said.

“Maybe people want to save money for New Year celebrations. We have received several e-mails from Chennai and Bangalore about New Year celebrations,” he added.

Two-wheeler rental service providers, who mainly thrive on weekend crowd, have been hit hard owing to the drop in tourists inflow. “During weekends, my 30 bikes would be on rental throughout the day. But, there have been only a few takers in the recent days,” Durairaj, owner of a rental shop near Chetty Kovil on Mission Street, said.

Several such shops have stopped functioning on Saturdays and Sundays, he added.

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