Indus showcases India at Ottawa event

A special event hosted in Ottawa last evening by Indus Travel in coordination with India Tourism brought travel agents together to learn about this colourful and diverse land, showcased as a place that is both exciting and mesmerizing. 

Harish Shroff, BDM for Indus, introduced the tour operator's newest brochure, which includes updated travel options to India. Shroff gave special attention to the Royal India and Great India tours, which affirm just how much there is to see and do in this vast country. 

Some of the highlights from the Royal India tour include taking in the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi, exploring the Taj Mahal at sunrise, climbing up to the Amber Fort in Jaipur on the back of an elephant, experiencing a special Pooja ceremony at a Ghat with a Hindu priest, enjoying a romantic boat ride on Lake Pichola, and taking a camel ride at sunset through the sand dunes at Jaisalmer. 

Great India offers much of the same, with a little extra, like seeing the ancient stone carvings in Mamallapuram, visiting Brahadeshwara temple (a designated UNESCO World Heritage site), exploring the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in search of tigers and elephants, and watching an authentic “Kathakali” dance performance in Cochin. 

In addition, Shroff pointed out, there are many options for travel style catering to various needs such as small group, independent, luxury, etc. He also noted the fact that Indus offers combination tours, such as India & Nepal and India & Dubai.

Anil Oraw, director of India Tourism Toronto, took the opportunity to share more about the country, in a way that could convince any traveller to add India to the top of their bucket list. It’s a year-round destination, he said, with 32 World Heritage Sites, pristine beaches, a variety of festivals, and is an established world-class wellness and medical tourism destination. He noted the simplicity of visiting the country, as travellers can apply for a visa online through the Ottawa High Commission.

In 2013, seven million tourists visited India, up to 7.5 million in 2014, which Oraw said speaks to the destination's growth as a top travel destination.