Vijay C Roy
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 27
Until recently, millennials in North had lower mobility than their counterparts in southern and western region. However, with the influx of IT sector, startups and services industry, they have emerged as new-age travellers.
Among the most preferred destinations are European countries such as Amsterdam, Switzerland, Paris, the UK and Rome. According to travel agents, high disposable income, easy finance options and relaxed visa norms are propelling the growth of outbound tourism from North.
“In the past few years, we have seen young generation, especially in the age group of 25-35 years from Punjab and Chandigarh, travelling more to European countries — the trend which was more prevalent in southern and western region,” said Rakesh Bawa, vice-president and head, National Sales, SOTC Travel.
Tour operators are of the view that travellers are rapidly evolving and with changing dynamics in disposable incomes, internet literacy and popularity of experiential holidays, they are opting for destinations that offer unique experiences.
“High disposable income is one of the main reasons behind youngsters travelling to European countries. Most of the youngsters having lucrative jobs in Chandigarh and Punjab hail from this region only and like to spend money on leisure travel,” said Gagan Sachdeva, proprietor, IV Holidays.
According to tour operators, in 2018 over a million applications were filed in India for short-stay visas to the continent’s Schengen Area, a 17% increase from the previous year. However, they added it was very difficult to ascertain data of Punjabis visiting European countries, but Punjab market was growing at speed double the national average.
Gagan said international travel was no longer confined to the rich. The young and middle-class people are also taking the plunge more often. To have a larger share of the market, travel operators have customised products with flexible holiday options, offering personalised services to attract enthusiastic travellers. The tour operators are offering products in every segment and budget.
According to industry, this segment is unperturbed by slowdown. This is evident from the fact that international traffic from Amritsar International Airport grew by 16% and Chandigarh International Airport grew by 1.5% during April-September this year as compared to corresponding period last year.
Youth propelling leisure travel
- Potential markets Chandigarh, Amritsar, Ludhiana
- Preferred countries Amsterdam, Switzerland, Paris, UK, Rome
- Major attractions Customised, budget-friendly packages
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