Recession and Inflation the Biggest Enemies of Tourism in India

If we consider the hurdles which arrest growth of Tourism in India then more precisely they are Recession and Inflation. Recession in India is directly related to the recession in some of the most advanced countries like Europe and America. While inflation in India is a curse to the Indian economy which curbs its growth and blocks progress of the nation.

Recession is a once in a blue moon factor, while inflation is the recurring evil which tries to destabilize the nation as a whole. Recession in India being the after effect of recession in other countries it is very difficult to resist Because whenever these countries face a downwards moving economy they start cutting on expenses by reducing jobs for oversees candidates or reducing the salaries to an irrelevant level. Any of the two implications force Indians which are settled in these countries for a turn back to their home country, which increases the already existing stress on the Indian economy. The country which is suffering from the evils of population growth, inflation and climatic disasters in which agriculture is frequently heat by irregular rains and lack of water supply. India even though is having plenty of resources they are becoming scarce due to the growing number of consumers which destroy the ratio of resources to the users of resources.

Weakness in the political leadership of the nation and inability to dig out huge amounts of black money has taken the country on the verge of collapse for a couple of times. And the present highest inflation rate is signaling a danger standing ahead in the path of growth and progress. If we limit our discussion only to the Indian tourism sector then the concept of Time share seems to be the best alternative for avoiding the worst effects of inflation, since you are safe guarded by the onetime payment which you are doing while availing the membership. So is it not the best way to secure your holidays for next fifteen to twenty-five years.

Why should Santa Have All The Fun- II!

The non-stop party season is at its zenith right now. The best thing about winter is you just can’t escape the festive zing it brings with it, starting from Dussera, to Diwali & now Christmas is almost here (not to mention New Year is closely following Santa’s approach)! This is the season where you can make up for your old mistakes, start something new. Or just open a new chapter – whatever you do, being emotionally intelligent is a must. So how about few emotionally festive yet intelligent gifts this Christmas for the people you love. The gifts may be for old time’s sake or just to toast a new life. Afterall, why should Santa have all the fun when it comes to giving gifts!

Here are top 5 souvenirs to present someone during festive season:

1. Gift a trip: it can’t get better than this! Nothing says ‘I love you’ or ‘I am sorry’ better than travel tickets to one’s much coveted destination, especially during festive season. Make sure, before booking though that your person (or people)of interest will be able to attend this trip.
2. Camera: giving a shutter machine is a direct green signal for awesome holidays. It is the most practical & considerate way of wishing someone best of vacations.
3. Travel smart luggage: so your dear one is a travel freak or maybe going to travel for the first time. One thing all travel bugs have in common – the baggage which comes along. Gift your special one smart, trendy & durable luggage. Choose the one which perfectly matches the personality of the traveller, physique of the person & nature of imminent travelling.
4. Watch: time matters, always has & always will. Gifting a perfect traveller’s watch can be great option. Keep your travelling buddy on time, updated with the different time zones, days and (if you are really generous with the gift) hinting at right direction can also be added to the check list.
5. Universal portable charger: caution –gifting this one can even turn your enemies into your most loyal fans! This is the master gift which has one stop solution for a lot of problems – none or just a single socket in hotel rooms, long traveling hours, dedicated Facebook profile updater, etc. Having a universal & portable charger which will not only work wonders for phone, camera, ipods, etc. it also saves time.

Besides other things you can always gift travellers are first aid kit, diary & an awesome pen (don’t forget the mightier-than-sword, most people do!) to jot down amazing traveling experiences, travel guides & maps, etc. the list is really long & can be customized to suite one’s needs & budgets.

So make someone happy this festive season.

Travel safe. Happy travelling!  

Timeshare: Sharing Fun Times

You keep hearing of timeshare more often than usual these days. So what is timeshare? We’ll help you with that. The basic idea commenced in the early 60s in European countries, when few related families bought a vacation cottage jointly, each having exclusive use of the property for one of the four seasons. More people came up with similar concept. However, it was realized that the vacation houses were vacant for most of the time; hence they came together with a new idea – sharing vacation homes.

This way the owners could rent their vacation homes to others throughout the year. This concept gained momentum within a decade and different hotels from various places collaborated together. Few of the benefits of Timeshare are as such:

• Since the properties are jointly owned by many, the expense are reduced which in turn leads to lower costs for guests.
• Timeshare is a joint network, hence provides large variety of vacation houses at places all over the globe.
• As per current norms, you can enjoy 25 years of timeshare membership, wherein you get to enjoy vacations at exotic places at way cheaper rates.
• The vacations even years afterwards remain inflation free, which means you actually get to enjoy your stay at amazing places in way lesser price!
• Gifting a holiday becomes easier – you have membership & it provides a greater convenience to present your friends or relatives with amazing time at no additional rates.

Timeshare ownership is also varied; few owners prefer to buy the properties while the rest become owners for a fixed amount of time depending upon the contract or until the property is re-sold. Depending on it the initial purchase price may be paid all at once or over time; with a likely periodic maintenance fees. Stay glued to the page as we come up with more travel information in our next blog. If there is anything you would like to know regarding traveling – do let us know!

Travel safe. Happy travelling!

Spotted!

We keep saying holidays bring best of times; these are the times which create most amazing memories & cherish wonderful relationships. But there is actually a lot more than these aspects! Holidaying is almost equivalent of entering into a parallel universe – where you don’t work, got no worries & just enjoy life! Few of our dear customers shared with us their unusual experiences they had while they were on vacations. So people, there is so much more to look forward to! Everyone expects something different, but even you will agree these off-the-record experiences are pretty remarkable, read on –

• Star studded: Spotting lovebirds at any gorgeous location isn’t a new thing, but spotting a star, meaning a celebrity – now isn’t this grand! Nothing can make your holidays more memorable than a surprise realization that you are sharing your holiday resort with one of your favorite celebrity stars! Not only does this make your holidays special, it always makes a great tea time story for your friends!
• The fun comrade: partying is fun indeed, but what gets funnier is the drunken fellow tourist. on more than several occasions we have witnessed ‘party people’ who make it a point to re-live their long lost childhood days, show off their unfathomable dancing skills & all sorts of other hidden and incomprehensible talents after they are few shots down. Our advice, keep your drinking level low & keep your eye open for the next show of ‘world’s got talent’ which can start any minute after someone gets drunk.
• Surprise, Surprise: we all love to get a little extra on anything & everything – extra discount, extra food in meal coupon, extra cheese in the pizza, etc. What makes holidays more unforgettable is when you are on the receiving end of extra ‘special’ experience! Imagine going to a new city known for its amazing history & artifacts and after a spontaneous exploring trip you realize the city has unbeatable natural charm as well! There is literally no end of surprising yourself when you are on the move.
• Home is where your heart is: Your age, gender doesn’t have to matter when it comes to holidays. Try going to different places & you may actually feel at home, even though you stand out. Travelling teaches you it isn’t about being same & known, it’s about being different & understanding, respecting the differences. Clearly taking a break from your normal life in a different way is what makes holidays stand out!

If you have got more unusual experiences &/or habits which can be spotted amongst travelers & tourists then we’d love to hear them!

Travel safe. Happy travelling!

Checklist Before Locking Up For A Vacation:

Image courtesy: muravyovam.wordpress.com

We are in the midst of a festive season, and almost every second family is packing their bags and is headed out – to relatives, or family friends, or distant cousins, for a wedding or maybe just for a vacation. Perhaps you too shall be busy making a checklist for packing the important stuff, last minute purchases to be done, etc. How about making a checklist for your house safety while you are gone? Have you thought about the safety plan of your vacation as well as your house while you are not around? Most of the people tend to overlook this most important aspect, if you haven’t worry not for we are at your service:

1. Stop the daily newspaper service: make sure to pause your newspaper deliveries or if possible, have any one reliable pick it up daily for you. Nothing like a bunch of yellowing newspapers at doorstep to announce your absence.
2. Settle all bills & payments: if, your off time is clashing with your payment dates, make advance payments or else assign some reliable person with the amount & details of the payment. Don’t let the payment bills decorate your mailbox while you are gone.
3. Dump or consume all perishable products: don’t forget to eliminate all the short life-cycled products in your refrigerator or in house as such so that firstly, your neighbors may live in breathable environment while you are gone and also you don’t get welcomed back by a house full of unthinkable stinks.
4. Go Unplugged: it is a must to unplug your electronic appliances, especially the heavy ones like washing machine, your LCD, computer, etc. This is to avoid any possibility of short circuit while you are not around.
5. House checks: withering plants, no evening lights, unchecked mails are enough to give anyone the idea of nill presence at your residence. In order to keep the enigma of your presence on, ask a reliable friend to check up on your place every other day, to put on lights in the evening & put them off in the morning. You can also set timer for lights & manage the light of your entire place even being miles away!
6. Fix it: if you have any leaks in the water system of your house, or any broken window or latch which refuses to work make sure you get at least these problems fixed on priority before you leave for your vacation. Carelessness in such chores can lead to much bigger problems when you return, hence enjoy a relaxed vacation & fix the happiness of your break while fixing the broken things at your place.

Well, there is certainly no end to ways of safeguarding your house before leaving for long vacation, however the most important thing is to always make this checklist in a relaxed environment & start at least few weeks before noticing your daily chores. This way you will know the requirements & possible solution to the problems.

Travel safe. Happy travelling!

Modak, Mushak & More!

A Note from Special Guest Blogger: Shri Ganesha

Image Source: http://www.freewebs.com/ashokha/ganesh.jpg

Hello dear travel bugs! Since my birthday is coming up and I too love traveling like you guys, thought of sharing a few thoughts with you all. To begin with, I belong to a family which believes in a lot of world tours. I remember when I was a kid my father, Lord Shiva would often go to distant locations on earth (many times heaven or hell as well – depending upon the situation) for months at a stretch. His work requires traveling a lot (actually all Gods’ work does). And in fact he was out on some very important business trip when I was born, but you all probably know that and I won’t narrate that story here (relax)!

You see, my entire family is all over the world. Parents are residing on upper Himalayas, dear brother Kartikeya is happily settled in the south of India, friends, distant relatives and of course my dear fans – they are all scattered across India and also somewhere in the more western areas of globe (they keep moving every other century). We keep visiting them all – me & my PA Mushak. Well I have been in better company but trust me, nothing beats the companionship of a dearly beloved & trusted multitasker (and he loves food too)! When earlier I saved his life, I seriously had no idea how handy he’ll turn out to be. Mushak’s one click – and I am sorted, for whatever I need. Well alright I might not need much, but it is amusing anyways.

Things have changed a lot now. Although, if you compare the earlier days it was definitely less crowded then. Environment was cleaner & purer, and I can say things were a lot less complicated. But I also find things more convenient and rather obvious now. We Gods have abilities to just transcend from one place to another (one of the Super Powers I find most useful but it also means no work out, hence I can’t blame for… well my stature) but from what I have noticed, the shorter the journey, the lesser time to munch & lunch and so lesser time to actually enjoy. Well, you certainly can’t enjoy on empty stomach now, can you?

I can ramble away like this non-stop, but there is one thing I should tell you before I forget about it. I love to travel! Yes, and not just to temples, mounts or oceans, but to people’s homes too. In fact, I have become addicted to the love and devotion people bestow on me during these 10 days so much, that it breaks my heart when it’s time for me to leave. But what to do, the world is not enough as you people say. In order to complete my travel bucketlist, I need to be on the move and can’t settle at one place. So my dear dear dear fans, don’t lose hope. I might leave after my scheduled 10 days stay at your place, but I would definitely like to keep in touch with you. Hope you don’t forget me, and keep writing to me.

Keep travelling, keep smiling! 

Bon Appétit!

One of a much understated problems while traveling to a completely new place is often the edible part of the journey - the food. Often times, a completely different country with a foreign language and a strange culture – takes time to settle to. Even a small action of choosing a proper meal becomes quite a task in such times. ‘What to eat’ becomes the most sought after question as people often fear that due to aforementioned barriers, the food they shall receive on the platter won’t exactly be what they ordered or expected. However, with little endeavor, you can totally get the better off of the situation.

First and foremost, before you set out for your adventure, performing a little research on common meals, local favorite foods and specialties of the place can do wonders. That ways, you’ll know exactly what to expect when you order an explored cuisine. And you can also mention any changes you require in your food - helps if you are allergic to certain food ingredients or if you merely want to spice things up in your own manner! Another way to be food smart is to check with the locals. The hotel or resort where you are staying, the friendly locals you come across while sightseeing or your travel guide book (which is indeed a very handy book to carry) may provide insights on the food prospects of the place - take pictures or make a list.

However, you must be careful while placing an order for your food, articulations and different pronunciation may completely change meaning of what you say. Hence, while doing all the background check, it normally comes to better use if you also see how to pronounce the name. In case you find yourself in the predicament of facing a difficult name, you can rely on technology of your latest gadgets - internet, a word which everyone understands. Opt for the most sought after food places while also keeping an open mind for unexplored stops.

Eat healthy. And relish what you eat - Bon Appétit!

Travel safe. Happy traveling!

The Travel Wardrobe:

The best thing about being a traveler is that, you do not belong to any particular faith. Just like your travels, your destinations are inspired by a longing to see and learn new things. All that curiosity to explore is highly appreciated, however friends, it doesn’t matter where you are coming from but where you are headed. There is an age old saying which everybody is much familiar with:

When in Rome, do what the Romans do.

These wise words are indeed summarizing our intent pretty well. Often while providing our services we recognize a very common oversight done by most of the tourists and travelers- selection of their travel wardrobe. Although the world is now but a global village, still we can find cultures and beliefs changing every few hundred kilometers. Hence we suggest when you research about your destinations and tour plans and packages; you should also look into the weather conditions and cultural background of the place. There are so many locations which have high percentage of religious places, holy rivers or grounds which the locals have high sacred connections to. At these destinations, it is usually, absolutely acceptable to dress up in latest versions of westernized apparels at market places and hotels, although, while coming to the cherished holy places a certain dress code is usually required to follow. Amongst various mandatory guidelines people often come across such as keeping surroundings clean, use of camera or mobile phones being prohibited and at certain places having a proper dress code is very common. Almost all of the traditional and religiously mystical lands always follow a proper and decent dress code, with varying intensity.

At few religious places, the only requirement is to cover your head (with any stole or scarf), while at certain other places there is a very strict rule, where no sleeveless or shorts are allowed. Few tourists sometimes also tend to get offended at such requisites, and may even consider the place or people conservative. However, it must be remembered that rules and guidelines at any travel spot, are always created for harmonious reasons- to let tourists enjoy exploring places, different from their own roots yet sustaining the original charm and aura of the place as well. Just as a swimsuit is appropriate for beaches, gowns for lounges and your pretty LBD for that after hour’s party, dressing up smartly for the destination you are headed to- would be considered a wise decision.

Travel-appropriate dressing not only is a requisite for places but of the kind of traveling you are undergoing as well. Being travel conscious may not only save you from any embarrassments, it may as well save your time and effort put in while traveling to the destination. Be trendy, wear comfortable clothes, but do keep in mind the culture and weather conditions of your destination. After all no one likes a spoiler in their holidays, especially if it’s hinting on their wardrobe.

Happy Traveling!