Tour operators see 10 pc drop in inquiries for foreign travel

BENGALURU: Foreign tour bookings have seen a slight dip in Bengaluru after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to people to avoid overseas travel.

Following PM Modi’s call to avoid overseas tours, bookings for international trips have dropped slightly in Bengaluru. Travel companies say they are receiving about 10 per cent fewer calls from tourists inquiring about foreign tour packages compared to normal days.

Typically, from March to September, around five lakh people from Bengaluru travel to countries including Singapore, Malaysia and various European nations. Those who had already made bookings are going ahead with their foreign trips and returning. However, new bookings for foreign tours have declined over the last two to three days.

As a result, the Karnataka Tourist Society expects the number of foreign tourists to drop further in the coming days, sais S Mahalingappa, vice-president of the Society.