Jaipur : Direct flights to seven new domestic destinations are likely to start from the Jaipur International Airport in the winter schedule, officials said.
Airline companies like Indigo and SpiceJet have expressed their interest to start new flights to Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Jaisalmer, Bhopal and Patna, an official said.
"Airlines have expressed interest to open new air routes to seven destinations during the winter schedule. Passenger traffic is constantly increasing and a substantial increase is expected during the winter season, which is also the peak tourist season in Rajasthan," the official said.
New routes like Agra, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Jaisalmer, Bagdogra are places of high tourism importance and direct connectivity will be a major boost to the local tourism sector.
Direct connectivity to Bhopal and Patna was earlier announced in the summer schedule but Indigo airlines could not operate due to some technical issue. The airline is now opening the two routes in the winter schedule, he said. Direct flight to Jaisalmer starts every year during winter, till the onset of summer, due to its tourism significance.
On the other hand, Jaipur International Airport has recorded a surge of 26.6 per cent in passenger footfall from April to July this year, as compared to last year. Around 17.36 lakh passengers travelled through Jaipur airport during this period, making an increase from 13.72 lakh in the corresponding period last year. "This notable surge in footfall owes its origin to vacation-break, increased leisure travelers and improved connectivity. During summer vacations from April to June, the passenger traffic increased by 25 per cent," the official said.
"Since April 2023, passenger traffic at Jaipur airport has been constantly gaining momentum due to various reasons including vacation season and a lot of events and tourism activities apart from the normal traffic," he said.
As compared to 2022, the passenger footfall in July 2023 witnessed a notable surge of 31.4 per cent, which is a good sign, he said. "Vacation season went exceptionally well. Several events, conferences and tourism activities are also taking place in the city," he said. Jaipur airport has direct connectivity to 23 cities and connecting flights to other destinations.
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In July alone, about 4,20,688 passengers travelled through Jaipur airport. Tourism industry stakeholders said that the surge is a welcome sign and if everything goes well, the industry will bloom again after a few years of Covid pandemic. "Going by this trend, we expect a substantial growth in the number of tourists coming to Jaipur this year," tourism expert Sanjay Kaushik said. (PTI)
