World Tourism Day: Keeping up with the upcoming tourism trends

Delhi: A little more than two years back, when everyone was forced to stay within the confines of their homes, it looked as if everything had come to a halt. Among the many industries which faced a major setback during that period, one of the most adversely impacted was the tourism industry. However, after two years now, countries across the world are again welcoming tourists. World Tourism Day, celebrated every year on September 27, 2022, looks like a perfect occasion to understand the status of the tourism industry, especially as the Covid situation across the world has relaxed.

For this, CitySpidey had a conversation with Sumeeta Chauhan, who has been in the tourism industry for more 20 years and is running her travel agency in Delhi for the past 15 years. While talking about how the tourism industry is recovering from Covid, she tells us that things are looking positive. "People are now eager to travel. They are travelling to Europe, the US, the Middle east and so on. The fares have hiked a little after Covid, to recover financially, but they haven't become unaffordable. We are hopeful and optimistic for 2023," says she.

According to Sumeeta, among the popular international destinations for Indians are Bali, Thailand, Dubai, Switzerland, London, US and more. She says that every country has its own charm and something different to offer.

She also says that knowing the purpose of one's international trip really helps to find the best and most suitable tour package. She suggests that if you're going for leisure purposes, then a tailor-made package would do. However, if one wants to explore more cities and places during the course of their trip, they can either opt for a group package or get a customised package.

While travelling abroad, one of the most important things to take care of are the hidden costs. We asked Sumeeta how can those hidden costs be avoided. She tells us, "Before finalising any package, get all the costs clear with your travel agent. Usually the hidden costs include fares of hotels, taxes, destination departure charges and so on. Ask your travel agent beforehand about these things."

While in a foreign country, there are always chances of some unpredictable incidents such as loss of passport or deterioration of health. To protect oneself from such incidents, Sumeeta suggests taking travel insurance. "I always suggest people take travel insurance, it should be mandatory. The insurance covers everything, from the loss of passport, luggage to any health issue," says she.

As the wedding season is about the start, Sumeeta also suggested some international honeymoon destinations. According to her, for low budget, people could consider Bali and Krabi and for those with a higher budget, Maldives and Greece are good options. She also tells that if someone doesn't want to go through the hassle of applying for a visa, they can visit countries such as Bali, Maldives, Vietnam and more. She also mentions that Vietnam is an upcoming popular destination for travelling internationally.