http://dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1008269
<The aviation industry is on a record high as the road for air travel in India seems to be heading north. Carriers like Indian Airlines, Jet Air and Air Sahara logged a combined growth of about 35%. Add to this, the 10% contributed by the new players like Air Deccan, SpiceJet and Kingfisher Airlines. This takes the total growth of domestic air travel to 45% in 2005. Air travel registered a 21% growth in 2004, according to industry figures. And travel industry is putting money on a 15% year-on-year growth for the aviation sector despite infrastructure bottlenecks like inadequate runway facilities and lack of enough hotel rooms. "The new generation carriers will find their niche in the marketplace. Already, they have lapped up 8% of the leisure travel market in their 10% share," said Ankur Bhatia, managing director, Amade-us, a reservation company. "It is primarily the crashing fares which have contributed to the rise in air travel across the country," said Anil Punjabi, chairman, eastern region, Travel Agents Federation of India (Tafi). "Fares have dropped by an average 40% across all sectors." And easing of visa regulations for countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia has added to the growth. Previously, these countries required a lot of documents from applicants like employers' certificates, trade licences, etc. Now, a prospective traveller merely has to fill up a visa form and attach some photographs. "With rising disposable incomes and falling interest rates, people are investing a lot more in travel," said Rupen Vikamsey, business development manager, Orbit Tours, Mumbai. Also, with jobs becoming more stressful, there is a need to take holidays, said travel sources> ------------ But is domestic air travel overflying Goa? Pity, what?
