The footloose factfile

Foreign tourist arrivals in India till November 2005 registered an increase of 13.5 per cent, with a growth of 20.1 per cent in foreign exchange earnings. During this period, 33,46,960 foreign tourists visited India.

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Foreign tourist arrivals in India till November 2005 registered an increase of 13.5 per cent, with a growth of 20.1 per cent in foreign exchange earnings. During this period, 33,46,960 foreign tourists visited India.

Cheaper by air

Low-cost airlines like Kingfisher Airlines, Spice Jet and Air Deccan have almost pushed train travel into redundancy. It isn’t just the cheaper fares. First class service on board airlines like Kingfisher has set new standards in in-flight entertainment, service and cuisine. Newer airlines like IndiGo, Go Air and Paramount are also eyeing the domestic Indian airborne market.

Weekend breaks

Indians are finally discovering the short and sweet holiday. A jungle safari at the Corbett, a rafting rendezvous in Rishikesh, a leisurely trek through the Uttaranchal hills or a royal retreat at a Rajasthan palace — anything to recharge your batteries.

The Discovery effect

With increased interest in channels like Discovery’s Travel & Living and National Geographic, more outbound tourists are now willing to try out unconventional destinations all over the world. Spain is hot, and so are New Zealand, China, Korea and Kenya. National tourism boards of these countries are also pumping money to entice the Indian traveller.