Overwhelming response to tour packages now: IRCTC report

Packages for Kerala, Goa, Kashmir, Andaman, Rann of Kutchh in Gujarat and India’s northeast region are fully booked for February and March and additional tours are being launched, IRCTC said

India’s tourism sector post the pandemic-induced lockdown is reviving with tour packages receiving an overwhelming response, Indian railways’ catering arm Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) said on Thursday.

Representational image. (AFP)

“Due to lockdown all commercial activities came to on a halt and tourism industry was not an exception. Tourism Industry was badly hit due to the Covid and is still struggling to revive... IRCTC has taken the lead and launched different domestic tour packages across India. All necessary health precautions are being taken care to provide safe and healthy travel during the tour. IRCTC is getting the tremendous response of the public and people are coming forward in large numbers to book the IRCTC Tour Packages,” it said.

IRCTC’s air tour packages for Kerala, Goa, Kashmir, Andaman, Rann of Kutchh in Gujarat and India’s northeast region are fully booked for February and March and additional tours are being launched, IRCTC said.

“Bharat Darshan train from Varanasi to Jyotirlinga yatra started on January 10 with 600 tourists. Another train from Raxaul, Bihar is scheduled on January 31 for south India and more than 500 seats are booked. A pilgrim special train started from Jalandhar for Jyotirlinga tour on January 27 and was booked by more than 600 persons. Other tours from the east, south and west, planned by IRCTC, are also getting great patronage by public,” it said.

IRCTC has decided to run a deluxe AC train on two different tours viz “Padharo Rajasthan” and “Jyotirlinga & Statue of Unity”.

“In line with the Government of India initiative ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ to promote domestic tourism, IRCTC has planned these tour packages at a very competitive package cost starting from ₹22,830 per person for ‘Padharo Rajasthan’ and ₹24,450 per person for ‘Jyotirlinga & Statue of Unity’ Tour. Government/PSU employees can avail the LTC facility as per eligibility based on the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance, Govt of India,” it said.

The “Padharo Rajasthan” tour will start from Delhi’s Safdarjung from February 12 and include four nights and five days’ stay. The second tour of “Jyotirlinga & Statue of Unity” will also start from Delhi from February 27 and will cover two prominent Jyotirlinga temples: Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) & Omkareshwar, along with the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.