Golden Chariot to run special trips
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With increasing interest among Indian travellers for luxury holidays, Karnataka’s luxury train, the Golden Chariot will run special summer trips this April. The decision was taken keeping in view, the approaching summer holidays and conclusion of the examinations.
“We have been receiving many enquiries for the Golden Chariot for April. There have been many enquiries if we can run train in April as by then, examinations of children will be over. We are expecting a greater participation from domestic tourists this year,” said C.D. Dyavaiah, managing director, Karnataka Tourism. Since its inception in 2008, the Golden Chariot usually starts its holiday trips from October and the season concludes in March. However this year, the Golden Chariot train will embark on a seven night and eight day trip on April 16 and booking for this closes on April 12. The tariff for seven nights (single occupancy) is Rs 1,40,000; Rs 1,05,000 for double occupancy and Rs. 84,000 for triple occupancy. The perception that stingy Indian travellers are not keen on luxury holidays is fast changing.
As per the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), by 2020, Indian travellers will be one of the leading globetrotters in the world. “There has been a considerable increase in the number of domestic travellers taking the luxury train. When the Golden Chariot started its first runs, there was not a single Indian, but that has changed today,” said M Srinivas, project director, Golden Chariot.
The high end luxury train that charges Rs 1,40,000 for one person has found many takers among Indians as well. “At present, we have almost 21 per cent domestic travellers onboard while the remaining 79 per cent are foreign tourists. Indians are slowly opting for luxury travel in India itself,” added Mr Srinivas.
The Golden Chariot summer package includes some new attractions and an array of special events. Besides three World Heritage Sites, including Hampi, the train will also cover the Daroji Bear Sanctuary which is Asia’s largest sloth bear sanctuary. Other highlights of the special trip includes a special cultural show followed by a lavish dinner at the Lalitha Mahal Palace in Mysore, an elephant interaction program at Kabini and an exclusively illuminated ‘Hampi at Night.’
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