Indian Samurai इंडियन सामुराई

At the time you will be reading this article, I will be somewhere in Philippines!!

 

The first thing I came across when I decided to go there is that there must be very few Indians visiting Philippines!! And how did I get this feeling?? I visited about 10 bookshops and there was no travelling guide!! I had to order it online…

I have to say, since I am going on holidays, and anyway carrying a walking reminder of where I live, this sounds quite good!!

 

And figures prove it – anyway it is not too difficult to figure out why Indians do not go to Philippines: Indians who travel have money (lots of money) and Philippines has not so good a reputation (quite poor and unsafe, no electricity etc.):

 

In 2006 they received 18,000 tourists from India (whereas 8 millions of Indians had travelled abroad – 0.22%). Reciprocately, only 5,000 Philippinos went to India that year.

In 2010, they received 34,800 tourists from India (whereas 12 millions of Indians had travelled abroad – 0.29%).

 

Apparently Philippines are now targeting Indian tourists, starting with a direct flight from Delhi in March 2011… Let’s see!! After ads on TV for Malaysia, maybe we will see Philippines soon!

 

And if you wonder what are the top abroad destinations for Indian tourists:

 

·          Colombo

·          Singapore

·          Kuala Lumpur

·          Fiji

·          Maldives

·          Bhutan (Thimpu)

·          Paris

·          Hong Kong

·          Rome

·          Geneva

 

Sources : http://www.india-forums.com/news/travel/10427-philippines-joins-the-race-to-attract-indian-tourists-lead.htm ; http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-10-Travel-Destinations-for-Indians&id=6220216

Not many posts this month: I was travelling!!

Two countries, the antipodes of each other but with a common points: the population (of the Indian subcontinent). Yes, you know me by now… 

So first, Dubai, with its Indian workers:

1.9 millions people in 2011 and 30% of Indians (about 570,000 Indians) and 60% of people from the subcontinent (including Bangladeshis and Pakistanis). In 2008, “for India, financial transfers of the migrating workers represented 45 billions dollars, 3.7% of its GDP (according to the United Nations”.

And with its Indian tourists also : more than 35% of the 357,000 Indian visitors (estimated) in the UAE in 2005 have stayed in 4 or 5 star hotels and 40% would be business travellers. This figure (357,000 Indian visitors) excludes Indians working in the UAE and just visiting India for holidays or going to the UAE to look for a job.

I felt really weird during the last part of our dune safari. We were having dinner in the desert when a belly dancer came in. She was Russian (Russian in India generally means, however sad it is, prostitutes). Among the 200 Indians, a good part of it just rushed to the stage (literally running) to stare at her and throw notes like if she was a bar dancer. And drunk on top of it. I know the image of the French tourist is pretty bad but the beat us flat!! 

Well, there is one guy who really made me laugh: 

He absolutely wanted to be photographed in front of my car, holding a lollypop. How weird???!!

Sources : http://www.lesechos.fr/economie-politique/presse-etrangere/020244987260-dubai-le-cauchemar-des-travailleurs-indiens.htm ; http://www.hindustantimes.com/Dubai-targets-Indian-leisure-tourists/Article1-88362.aspx ; http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5444.htm ; http://www.dsc.gov.ae/Publication/Dubai_Population_09_eng...