|
|
|
|
Hotels are full
as fans flock for IPL |
|
Rachna Singh, TNN, Apr 6, 2010, 03.54am IST
JAIPUR: The IPL fever is on. And there
couldn't be a better situation for the
hospitality industry in Jaipur. At the fag
end of the season, once again city hotels
are sold out.
Ever since Good Friday, the city saw a
constant influx of tourists that is likely
to last right till the last IPL match.
While Jaipur has emerged as a favoured
weekend destination in the north, tour
operators confirm that most bookings are of
IPL fans from Chandigarh, Agra, Delhi and
Haryana.
"While with most of them the primary
objective is the three IPL matches, cricket
lovers are going to use the rest of the time
for sightseeing" said Khalid Khan of
Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators.
Favourite among them are the heritage
properties in Samode and Mandawa over
two-three days break.
"But it's not just the Indians who are using
IPL as an alibi to tour in and around
Jaipur. We have received requests from our
foreign groups too to facilitate tickets for
the IPL," said Khalid.
The second phase of crowding in city hotels
after the ODI, beginning with Easter, has
virtually begun. Tourist inflow, both
corporate and leisure, have the city budget
hotels booked till the last week of April,
spilling over the excess to homestays and
guest houses. And what has compounded the
scarcity of accommodation is the three day
Great Indian Travel Bazaar, GITB overlapping
with the IPL.
The three day tourism mart from April 11-13,
in its third edition has attracted over 216
foreign tour operators, representations from
47 countries and hoteliers and over 500
tourist products from across India adding to
the pressure on hotel rooms.
"We just have an 83 room and we have our
hands full," said Rajesh Rajpurohit of Park
Prime, a business hotel. A lot of people
from Noida, Gurgaon and Delhi have arrived
after closure of the financial year to go
back to work only after the first IPL match
between Rajasthan Royals v/s Kings XI
Punjab.
And to add to the cricket fever, most
hoteliers have especially organised
life-size screens. While cricket matches on
the silver screen did not generate enough
public interest, cashing in on IPL fever,
city pubs and restaurants are looking
forward to packed evenings ahead.
"It's an eagerly awaited event by the
hospitality industry. We have already
installed a large screen at Grunge,” said
Srikumar R Kunnath area sales manager,
Concept Hospitality and general manager,
Fern, a five star hotel. Besides the hotel
has tied up with Kingfisher for special
incentives and a lot of gift hampers during
the Rajasthan Royal's matches.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Hotels-are-full-as-fans-flock-for-IPL/articleshow/5764909.cms
|
|
|
|
|
