KOCHI: An increasing number of middle-class families from Kerala are choosing Southeast Asian destinations over popular Indian tourist locations to unwind this summer. While Thailand, Malaysia, and Bali top the chart, Vietnam has also made it to the list of preferred getaways.
Factors shaping the trend include cost — with international packages costing more or less the same and in certain cases even less — and connectivity to destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Phuket (Thailand).
“We visited Bali and Vietnam instead of the usual north Indian locales during the last two vacations. Vietnam was very memorable, with the spectacular beaches of Da Nang and bustling Hanoi catching our imagination. The whole weekend package cost us just around Rs 55,000 per head,” said Vinod Kumar K S, a resident of Elamakkara, Kochi.
With a substantial rise in visitors flying out of the country, tour operators are now focusing on rolling out international packages and competing with each other in offering incentives. “We’re rolling out nearly 500 Southeast Asian packages this summer. Thailand is the most preferred destination, followed by Malaysia and Vietnam. The shift in trend is clearly visible with families realising that they can hop on an international tour at a reasonable price. For instance, while a basic Kashmir package will cost Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000 per person, a Malaysia trip with premium accommodation will put one back around Rs 50,000,” Anu Sebastian, general manager of Kochi-based Gooout Tour & Travels Pvt Ltd, told TNIE.
Even last week’s earthquake in Myanmar has failed to douse the enthusiasm of visitors. “Authorities there have worked round the clock to ensure that the tourist flow is not disrupted. There were no flight disruptions. Another batch of visitors left on Saturday morning,” she added. The two main factors determining package price are airfares and accommodation.
“High domestic airfares are contributing to this trend. Even a planned return trip to Kashmir can cost around Rs 30,000 per head, while that to a Southeast Asian destination like Malaysia can be limited to Rs 15,000. A day’s stay at Srinagar’s Taj Dal View costs around Rs 50,000,” Anu pointed out. “During our visit to Vietnam, we stayed at a premium hotel in Ho Chi Minh for Rs 3,000 per night and at a beach-front facility at Da Nang for Rs 4,000,” Vinod said.
Various players in the sector vouch for the changing preference of travellers opting for the Southeast Asian destinations.
“One can now visit the United Kingdom at the price of a Kashmir trip. Families are also flying out more to Sri Lanka,” Johny Abraham, managing director, Intersight Tours & Travels, said.
“A family trip to Thailand will cost less than that of, say, a Delhi-Agra-Jaipur trip. Those who have a little more budget are visiting European countries. Increased flight connectivity has lowered travel costs. For instance, Air Asia is set begin direct flights, thrice a week, between Phuket and Kochi from April 11,” said Jinu Manuel, operations manager at GTH, another tour operator based in Kochi.
