FEED YOUR WANDERLUST
THE TIMES OF INDIA, NEW DELHI/GURGAON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2017
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CONSUMER CONNECT INITIATIVE Ankita.Shreeram @timesgroup.com nce, international travel for Indians was synonymous with Switzerland, Europe in 10 days packages and for the privileged ones, a jaunt or two in America. Even domestic travel rarely went beyond pilgrimages, trips to relatives' houses and native
O
places, save for the weekend trips to the same trusted resort year after year. 2016 has been a year of discovery, experimentation and adventure. More people are scaling mountains, navigating forests and splurging on fine dining than ever before. The trend will take on new proportions in 2017, with unexplored countries like Mongolia and Ethiopia
FEED YOUR WANDERLUST Pack your bags for far-off corners of the world this year. From bustling Asian metropolises to unexplored hill-stations in India, here’s what’s trending joining the fray. According to Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head at a leading online travel aggregator, Cancun (Mexico), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Ambergris Caye (Belize) and Tenerife (Canary Islands) are also some of the top international travel destinations for 2017. "In 2017, Mongolia will raise the curtain on a brand-new capital-city airport, a state-of- the-art facility that symbolises the country's rapid modernisation. Beyond Ulaanbaatar lies Mongolia's stunning countryside, highlighted by Lake Kho?vsgo?l, the Blue Pearl of Asia. A less explored destination well known for its script, lan-
guage, cuisine, church and coffee, Ethiopia is as exotic as countries come. And whether you're trekking through the Simien Mountains to witness wildlife that roams nowhere else on earth, climbing to a
church carved into a remote cliff face in Tigray or boating across the serene waters of Lake Tana to visit an age-old monastery, you'll be over-
Peekay - 16 cm W x 20 cm H
Kay Dee - 12 cm W x 10 cm H
Rapidex - 16 cm W x 25 cm H
whelmed by the beauty of the landscape," he says. Airlines manager David Lim reveals that they have seen an upsurge of bookings for Australia and New Zealand. "Australia and New Zealand offer varied itineraries ranging from food and wine escapes, city exploration, adventure sports and romantic holidays. The biodiversity of the two countries makes an exciting travel proposition for Indian travellers," he says. Travel is often work and pleasure combined and in such cases, capitals and urbanised cities are favoured choices. "Internationally, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore have seen an upsurge in the number of businesses
as well as solo tourists. Cities around the world and in India not only focus on business aspects but are also looking at tourism as the biggest source of income," says Biswajit Chakraborty, general manager at a Mumbai-based five star hotel. Other major international destinations for 2017 include Oman, Myanmar, Bermuda, Colombia and Finland among countries and Merida, Mexico; Ohrid, Macedonia; Pistoia, Italy; Los Angeles, USA; Cape Town, South Africa; Bordeaux, France; Seoul, South Korea; Lisbon, Portugal; Moscow, Russia and Portland, Oregon among cities. Be it 2017 or 2027, it is unlikely that the charm of the Himalayas will ever fade. But discerning travellers are giving popular hill-stations like Shimla and Mussoorie a miss and venturing deeper into the mountains.
Evaluated - 16 cm W x 25 cm H
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CONSUMER CONNECT INITIATIVE Ankita.Shreeram @timesgroup.com nce, international travel for Indians was synonymous with Switzerland, Europe in 10 days packages and for the privileged ones, a jaunt or two in America. Even domestic travel rarely went beyond pilgrimages, trips to relatives' houses and native
O
places, save for the weekend trips to the same trusted resort year after year. 2016 has been a year of discovery, experimentation and adventure. More people are scaling mountains, navigating forests and splurging on fine dining than ever before. The trend will take on new proportions in 2017, with unexplored countries like Mongolia and Ethiopia
FEED YOUR WANDERLUST Pack your bags for far-off corners of the world this year. From bustling Asian metropolises to unexplored hill-stations in India, here’s what’s trending joining the fray. According to Manmeet Ahluwalia, marketing head at a leading online travel aggregator, Cancun (Mexico), Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), Ambergris Caye (Belize) and Tenerife (Canary Islands) are also some of the top international travel destinations for 2017. "In 2017, Mongolia will raise the curtain on a brand-new capital-city airport, a state-of- the-art facility that symbolises the country's rapid modernisation. Beyond Ulaanbaatar lies Mongolia's stunning countryside, highlighted by Lake Kho?vsgo?l, the Blue Pearl of Asia. A less explored destination well known for its script, lan-
guage, cuisine, church and coffee, Ethiopia is as exotic as countries come. And whether you're trekking through the Simien Mountains to witness wildlife that roams nowhere else on earth, climbing to a
church carved into a remote cliff face in Tigray or boating across the serene waters of Lake Tana to visit an age-old monastery, you'll be over-
Peekay - 16 cm W x 20 cm H
Kay Dee - 12 cm W x 10 cm H
Rapidex - 16 cm W x 25 cm H
whelmed by the beauty of the landscape," he says. Airlines manager David Lim reveals that they have seen an upsurge of bookings for Australia and New Zealand. "Australia and New Zealand offer varied itineraries ranging from food and wine escapes, city exploration, adventure sports and romantic holidays. The biodiversity of the two countries makes an exciting travel proposition for Indian travellers," he says. Travel is often work and pleasure combined and in such cases, capitals and urbanised cities are favoured choices. "Internationally, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Singapore have seen an upsurge in the number of businesses
as well as solo tourists. Cities around the world and in India not only focus on business aspects but are also looking at tourism as the biggest source of income," says Biswajit Chakraborty, general manager at a Mumbai-based five star hotel. Other major international destinations for 2017 include Oman, Myanmar, Bermuda, Colombia and Finland among countries and Merida, Mexico; Ohrid, Macedonia; Pistoia, Italy; Los Angeles, USA; Cape Town, South Africa; Bordeaux, France; Seoul, South Korea; Lisbon, Portugal; Moscow, Russia and Portland, Oregon among cities. Be it 2017 or 2027, it is unlikely that the charm of the Himalayas will ever fade. But discerning travellers are giving popular hill-stations like Shimla and Mussoorie a miss and venturing deeper into the mountains.
Evaluated - 16 cm W x 25 cm H
