Summer travellers to gain from stronger Re

Chennai: Outbound tourism, especially for long-haul destinations, is set to gain momentum with the rupee strengthening against major currencies ahead of the summer season.

Long- haul destinations like the US, the UK, Europe, Australia and Canada are likely to see a surge of Indian tourists as the rupee has appreciated against their currencies. Between October last year and now, the rupee has appreciated against the US dollar by over 7.5 per cent, pound sterling by 7.8 per cent, euro by 10 per cent, Canadian dollar by 11 per cent, Australian dollar by 8.4 per cent, Dirham by 7.5 per cent and the Swiss Franc by 9.4 per cent.

"With the rupee appreciating against the dollar, this will be beneficial for those planning a holiday. With summer travel around the corner, customer sentiments have further improved, giving impetus to outbound tourism. Having launched our summer products early last year in October, our bookings display a vibrant growth, led by long-haul destinations like Europe and the USA which have shown good momentum", said Daniel D'souza, President and Country Head, Leisure, SOTC Travel.

For Indian travellers, who have planned their summer holidays and yet to book, this would be the right time to freeze travel plans as the prices might surge by April and May.

"In summer, most Indians prefer travelling to Europe and the USA. With a strengthened rupee, Indians can enjoy more value for their money in these destinations and do not have to trade down on hotel upgrades, shopping and duration of stay," Karan Anand, Head-Relationships, Cox and Kings, said.