Saturday, November 19, 2016

Tourism in Darjeeling, Dooars and Puri hit by demonetisation


Demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes has taken its toll on tourism and has squeezed out the spirit of wanderlust among Kolkatans. Holiday trips normally planned for the December-January period are being put on hold and the effect is felt on bookings for trips to Darjeeling, Dooars and Puri.
These are the eternal favourites and, booking for these have come to a virtual halt since November 8. Foreign travel, too, has slowed down by about 15%, as revealed by travel agents.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 20 November 2016.
With the current situation, unless one has enough cash and easy accessibility to money, traveling is a risk. Confirmation of hotel rooms booked in Darjeeling and across the Dooars has come down to a trickle post-demonetization and there could be cancellations if the limit on bank withdrawals remains.
The December-January period is the time when budget travelers come to Darjeeling and Dooars and usually book hotels in advance. They also depend on cash saved over a period of several months. Tour operators feel that Darjeeling could see a 25% drop in tourists this winter.
As far as foreign travel is concerned, Southeast Asia and the Gulf are the most preferred destinations between December and March and here traffic could plunge by 20%. The Thailand-Singapore-Malayasia-Hong Kong and China circuits are popular throughout the year and the number of travelers peak in winter. However, demonetization has affected this sector as well with advance booking of air tickets on hold.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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