Pune: Experiencing the breathtaking Swiss Alps, picturesque Amsterdam or elegance of Dubai might not pan out right away for avid tourists eagerly awaiting their summer travels this year.Take for instance Koregaon Park residents Ashutosh and Namita Singh, who had saved Rs2.5 lakh in the last one year for their week-long trip to the UAE this summer. And then, the West Asia conflict broke out. “Everything was set and booked and our trip was slated for the last week of March. Things have changed now. We could alter our travel itinerary but that will require fresh planning and recalculation of finances. Our air tickets and hotel stay are booked but regular flights are still to start. The travel company is asking us to hold on,” the IT professionals told TOI. Ongoing tensions have significantly affected the summer travel season right at its very start, travel companies and agents confirmed, adding that although other options may emerge, there is little room for salvation as far as international travel to some popular destinations is concerned. “Our planning for any season starts months in advance, during which we curate new packages. Travellers also plan ahead as the visa process for many countries takes time. This conflict has changed everything. Dubai is the most popular transit to travel to Europe in summer. We are dealing with too many queries from clients right now and we don’t have the proper answers for them yet,” said Makrand Angal of Go Holidays. Travel Agents Association of Pune president and travel company head Nilesh Bhansali agreed. He said, “We have started to promote destinations in the east for new clients. Those who can spend are being advised to go to Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, etc. Travellers with limited budgets are being advised to visit places like Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. We have also started to promote China as a destination at par with some European countries. Even if the conflict stops and there is a ceasefire, we don’t think that travellers will forget everything immediately and act as if all is normal. This summer season has seen a major shift from the West to the East.” Another couple living in Hinjewadi was set for a trip to the Middle East and parts of Europe early next month. Now, they have also been asked by their travel company to reconsider, they told TOI while requesting anonymity. “How does one change the entire travel plan on such short notice? The travel company recommended that we go to New Zealand instead, but that will need a whole lot of fresh planning, besides visa hassles. We just might cancel everything and travel to a domestic location. Even if the conflict stops, travelling to the Middle East will not be a safe bet,” both said. With the summer schedule of flights set to begin from March-end, sources in various airlines said that new flights to east-bound locations could become a priority, considering all factors. “IndiGo has already announced direct flights from Kolkata to Shanghai from March 29 onwards. Other airlines might soon announce similar flights this time,” an official with the airline revealed. Shree Vinayak Holidays owner Santosh Gupta said that he has been dealing with a heavy volume of calls and queries. “We are scrambling amid calls from clients who have confirmed trips to the Middle East and Europe. We need to deal with this first before even thinking of fresh destinations,” he said.
