Travel to Far East was never cheaper

So you were packing your bags and were all geared to visit the Far East.

Just as you were picturing yourself amidst the sun, the sea and the sands, the horrible news came -- SARS had struck.

Flights were being cancelled and lives were being lost. Needless to say, you unpacked your bags and decided to stay at home. The Far East dream still lingered on though.

If that is indeed the case, then it is time to start packing the bags again. Far East countries are going out of the way to woo travellers.

If your dream is to go to Kuala Lumpur, then just check out Malaysian Airlines' offering. Pay Rs 18,999 per person and you get return tickets to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and 3 nights free in Malaysia.

Okay, much as you love Malaysia and Singapore, what you really want to do is visit the Dolphin Show at Ocean Park and ride up the peak tram in Hong Kong.

Don't worry, Cathay Pacific Airline will get you there for Rs 21,185 per person. This includes a return ticket and three nights free accommodation in Hong Kong.

You need not confine your ambitions to travelling to just Hong Kong and Malaysia. What if your plans include Thailand as well? Then take a look at this offer from Shree Raj.

Christened Far East Bonanza, it comes for Rs 55,850 per head. Spread over 12 days, you get to see Bangkok, Pattaya, Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highland and Singapore.

The package includes return airfare by economy class, visa fees, 11 nights accommodation on twin sharing basis (3/4 star hotel), daily breakfast, lunch & dinner, airport transfers, sightseeing, and entrance and airport taxes in India and Singapore.

"After the SARS scare, airlines are offering huge discounts in an attempt to lure tourists. Many tourists who dropped their plans to tour the Far Eastern countries due to the SARS scare are now headed back towards these destinations and Europe," Yogesh Selarka, marketing manager with Shree Raj Travels & Tours, said.

"After 9\11, there has been a tightening of entry norms in the US. This has resulted in the Far East emerging as an attractive destination," says a senior executive with a domestic tourist operator.

The Far East may be the in thing. This does not mean that other options don't exist or travellers are not availing of them.

"While Mauritius and Maldives were hot favourites last summer, we are promoting newer destinations like Egypt," Sunil Gupta, head, leisure travel, Thomas Cook India, said.

"Post SARS and the Gulf war, the travel bug is biting the Indian traveller. The stock markets also indicate an upsurge in the economy. We are optimist about the coming travel season from Diwali to early into the new year," he added.

Heena Munshaw, managing director, Beacon Holidays, said: "The individual traveller or family traveller segment is growing very fast and people are choosing destinations where they can be close to nature, while having a chance to bond with their families. They are participating in activities from bush walks to soft adventures like jet boating in New Zealand, feeding dolphins at Tangalooma, climbing the Sydney habour bridge and enjoying the beauty of Capetown."

The United States may not be all that easy to get to. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Egypt are definitely waiting with open arms. And, yes, the Far East isn't far out.