Beyond Paradise

This could well sum up the attitude of a growing number of Indians in recent years. Holidays abroad are no longer the domain of the rich and the famous. In the last few years, disposable incomes among the Indian upper middle-class have polevaulted. Besides, globalisation and the Internet have given birth to a new breed of travellers whose awareness is directly proportional to their wanderlust.

While Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka are popular because packages to these places are economical, the been-there-done-that brigade needs more exotic tastes to tickle its travelbuds. Even first-timers want more than just a ‘‘phoren-returned’’ tag to show off to the neighbourhood.

For obvious reasons, South Africa is the current flavour of the season. Even otherwise, the Dark Continent is hugely popular among those looking to explore the wild and unknown. Other emerging hotspots are Australia, New Zealand, Egypt and the Mediterranean.

Heena Munshaw, Managing Director of Mumbai-based

Beacon Travels says, ‘‘For well-travelled Indians, Australia and New Zealand are fairly new destinations.’’ But this is a niche segment as these are fairly expensive locations. As Munshaw adds, ‘‘Just the airfare to these places is equivalent to the amount one spends on an entire trip to, say, Singapore or Thailand.’’

With more flight options opening up, another surprise destination is China. Shanghai and Shenzen are emerging as major centres for shopping because China is promoting itself very aggressively and visa rules have also been relaxed.‘‘China is becoming very popular due to its rich cultural heritage which Indians can relate to,’’ says Karl Dantas, MD of Bombay Travels.

Palomita Patel, who recently went there with her parents, says, ‘‘Such places have always fascinated me. Although, I would say it is becoming really Westernised. For those who are looking for that ethnic quaintness, I would advise them not to delay their trip as in a few years, it will completely disappear.’’

While many first-timers opt for having their trip managed by tour operators, there’s a new and emerging breed of travellers, who don’t want to be held by the hand. Rather than packages, individualised trips are becoming more popular. Tour operators are used mostly as a starting point. After that, in cyberspace, information is a mere Google-byte away. Just key in the name of the remotest island in the South Pacific Sea and chances are you will come up with pages and pages of detailed descriptions and maps. Moreover, there are a number of travel websites which also offer a sea of information as well as discounted packages.

Thus you have Divesh Shah, a travel agency owner, who has been to at least 40 countries, places as diverse as Alaska, Hawaii, Israel, Russia, Spain, Scandinavia and even the Arctic Circle as he ‘‘wanted to watch the sun not set’’. Or Malini Patel, who went on a camping trip through some Scandinavian countries with a group of 16 people from all across the globe.

Seventy-year-old S V Deshpande, retired IIT professor, went alone on a trip to Egypt last October and came back saying it was the voyage of a lifetime, mostly because he hadn’t gone through a travel agency.

As for Switzerland, Yash Chopra & Co may have done the tourism industry of that country a favour of Himalayan, or should we say Alpsian,

proportions by acting as unofficial promoters. Nevertheless there are those for whom it is passe. As Priya Mohan says, ‘‘When one can see so much of Switzerland in the movies, why does one need to go there?’’

The 27-year-old airhostess recently visited Santorini, a Greek island an hour’s flight from Athens, with pals. ‘‘It was sheer paradise, all white houses and blue sky and water.’’

In fact, these days even Bollywood is looking beyond run-of-the-mill locales for its actors to shake a leg. Wonderkid Farhan Akhtar chose the Antipodean climes as a backdrop for Aamir Khan’s soulful act in Dil Chahta Hai and Rakesh Roshan picked neighbouring New Zealand to display son Hrithik’s abs in Kaho Na Pyar Hai.

(With inputs from Jaya Basu in New Delhi)