Chennai: When Dubai continues to be expensive, people who want to experience an international vacation to Sri Lanka from Chennai for Christmas, New Year and Pongal Padang.
The boundary at the pora party applied by the state government in Chennai also encouraged those who were able to make a vacation abroad to try Colombo.
The nation island is the cheapest destination from Chennai with flight tickets back in the range of 20,000 to 26,000 in the current season.
In comparison, the ticket returned to Dubai was in the range of 40,000 to 2 lakh for a holiday weekend because of the high demand from transit tourists to Europe and the US.
Although Singapore began publishing tourist visas, people would no prefer to relax if they did not have friends or relatives in the Southeast Asian country.
Testing for Covid-19 and the requirements to stay in the hotel until the results are ready to be troublesome.
Flights to Singapore are also full and expensive because of a large number of people who have permanent residence and those who go to work traveling there.
Southeast Asia and the Middle East are traditionally among the most popular destinations for tourists from Chennai but these goals are now ruled out due to restrictions and high costs.
Sri Harapan of Madura Travels said several people began exploring Sri Lanka for this holiday season because Dubai was expensive.
“Affordable rates compared to other foreign goals,” he said.
In pre-covid too, ordinary people traveled to Sri Lanka instead of domestic destinations in Jammu and Kashmir or other places in the north.
“Rates return to Colombo first 10,000 while the cost of Srinagar is equal to 20,000,” he said.
Now, J & K is cheaper, but Colombo is closer and there is a direct flight from Chennai.
Basheer Ahemed from Chennai Metro Travels said the UAE was a troublesome destination for traveling but expensive.
“People order tickets to Colombo because nearby and cheaper and we get many questions for the new year’s weekend too,” he said.
It gives some expectations even though airplane ticket rates and higher hotels for international travel in the middle of a limited number of flights, he added.
“People have the choice to travel to Malaysia for a Pongal vacation when Malaysia’s tourism plans to open Langkawi in January,” Ahmed said.