With the depreciation of the rupee against the dollar, pound, and euro making inbound holiday packages cheaper by 20 per cent to 25 per cent, tour operators in the State are gearing up to tap the domestic market.
A holiday package that cost 1,000 dollars this time last year now costs only 750 dollars owing to the regular shift in rupee-dollar margins.
The cheaper holiday packages in the country have come as a blessing for the tour operators, and inbound tourism stands to benefit immensely from this.
The declining rupee has led to changes in outbound and inbound travelling patterns. The preferences of the travellers have changed to short-haul destinations and budget travel has increased, as outbound tour packages have become expensive by 20 per cent, tourism industry sources told The Hindu .
The subcontinent has re-emerged as a feasible option for foreign tourists, and tour operators had come forward with attractively priced domestic portfolios as there was a 20 per cent drop in outbound tours, a leading tour operator based in the city said.
The situation is conducive for Kerala to aggressively market the destination within the country in view of the landslip in Uttarakhand and the spurt in terror attacks in Kashmir.
“The domestic and the foreign tourists are looking to the State for wellness holidays and yoga as they are afraid to move to Rishikesh, Kulu, and Manali following the landslip. Pilgrimage tours and holidaying to this circuit from the State have stopped,” a tour operator said.
“There has been a 22 per cent devaluation of the Indian rupees against the dollar, pound, and euro. It is the best time to promote yoga and wellness holidays in the State. Kerala Tourism should take the initiative in this direction as the situation is in the State’s favour now,” Anish Kumar, secretary, Association of Tourism Trade Organisations India (ATTOI), said.
