Travel agencies unveil outbound tour packages for festive season

Kathmandu: As the biggest festival Dashain approaches closer, travel agencies have unveiled attractive overseas tour packages targeting the Nepalis who prefer to move out to the foreign destinations during the holidays.

Under the new offers, the agencies have not just added new destinations in their travel list, but have also announced attractive schemes in a bid to lure the holidaymakers. The schemes offer competitive rates and also includes freebies and credit facilities.

Travel agencies officials said although their focus had been on domestic tour packages in the past, their sole focus was on outbound destinations this time. Sushil Baniya, manager at Ace Travels said that as the monsoon was likely to prolong, the enquiries for domestic packages was also negligible. However, the booking for outbound packages was overwhelming, according to him.

Ace Travels has unveiled special packages for Dubai, Malayasia, Sinagpore, Thailand and Delhi. Baniya said they were offering additional facilities and giving away free domestic packages on the purchase of outbound packages. “Depending upon the destination we are providing special offers for the festive season,” said he.

Arihant Holidays which recently started operation is also all prepared with lucrative packages for the season. The package of Honkong and Macau is priced Rs 91,000 onwards per person on twin sharing basis. The other destinations include Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius among others. The agency is also offering credit facility to travelers as the part of their promotional scheme.

Girish Jain, managing director of Arihant Group said their focus was on innovating packages with special discount. “We are offering 15 percent discount on our packages and we are giving away free shopping vouchers and other gifts on the purchase of flights tickets as well as tour packages,” said he.

Similarly, Ace Travels is offering Bangkok package at Rs 45,000 onwards and the tour packages to India can be as cheap as Rs 25,000 per person.

NextYatra has also unveiled a new package recently for China. The package includes visit to Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai and Ghuagzhou at Rs 135,000. This 11 days package targets businessmen as well as family holidaymakers. “We are targeting to sell more than 300 packages and have alredy received confirmation of 80 pax,” said Bishwash Bajracharya of NextYatra.

 The package is inclusive of breakfast, dinner, accommodation in three star hotel and all the entrance tickets. As the part of festive season offer, the agency has provided payment facility in installment basis. The agency has also unveiled a package of 4 nights and 5 days for Dubai at Rs 55,000 onwards.

source: republica,18 Sept 2012