Couples celebrate V-Day away from city's din

14 Feb 2010 JAIPUR: This Valentine’s Day most couples in the Pink City will be travelling out to celebrate the day away from the hustle and bustle. It’s been a welcome weekend for travel agents who are walking all the way to the bank. “All the major locations in the state are booked, and even places on their route are packed. Jaipurites who prefer to venture out of the state are travelling to Goa, Nepal and Mauritius,” says Manoj Sorani, president, Travel Agent Association of India, Rajasthan Chapter.
Not just that there is another reason for the love birds to travel, not much is happening in the city as pubs, lounges and hotels stay away from celebrations. A lounge bar owner says, “We are not decking up our place, nor are we calling any DJ from outside. It will be a peaceful evening for our regular guests.” To that the manager of another leading five-star hotel says, “We too are staying away from lavish celebrations.” Ask them the reason and they say in unison, “First reason is that people are travelling out and second is going by the spate of unfortunate events why take a chance. Guests who walk in on Valentine’s Day will get the best treatment is what we can assure.”
A claim is that V-Day celebrations aren’t extra profit making venture this time as it falls on a Sunday, usual party day for the city. “Had it been any other day we would have thought about making it lavish, but this time there won’t be any added return,” says the manager of the five star hotel.
At the Golden Tulip, they are celebrating ‘Two 2 Tango’ theme and even offering a Club Class ticket for a couple to watch MNIK at a leading cinema hall. “People might be refraining, but we believe it’s time to celebrate love and have added an extra day to it. We have kept the price reasonable to ensure that people walk in with their loved ones and in Rs 1,500 per couple inclusive of taxes we offer food and drinks,” says Sujan Ganguly of Golden Tulip.
Despite the club owners giving V-Day a miss the florists and gift shop owners are busy. “Combination of cakes and roses is doing well and an average order is for Rs. 500. It’s been good so far and the big push will come on Sunday,” says Renu Gupta, who has a floral shop in Malviya Nagar.