» How can I
book a tour to India? Is there a list of yours I can choose from?»
What if I do not like any of the tours listed on the site? Can ITPL
tailor-make a tour for me?»
Is the company really reliable? What is the profile of the company?»
Is the information provided by ITPL reliable?»
Will the information provided by me to ITPL remain confidential?»
Can I book only the accommodation since I am coming on business?»
Where can I apply for an Indian Visa?»
What is the currency used in India?»
How much do I pay as Airport Tax?»
Do you include Travel Insurance? »
What is the time difference?»
Are credit cards accepted in India? »
How can I book a tour to India? Is there a list of yours I can choose from?
ANS: First we recommend that you go through our website which include
various tours that we have been selling very successfully since a very long
time. The tours are listed under different categories like Cultural Tours,
Adventure, Special Interest tours etc. and you can buy them on as it is
basis. If however you feel that these tours need to be fine-tuned to
coincide with your flight schedule, and if you need to add or reduce a night
in any city, then you must send us your request and our travel experts will
get back to you shortly with necessary changes and the cost.
»
What if I do not like any of the tours listed on the site? Can ITPL
tailor-make a tour for me?ANS: Yes, you can suggest the place you
wish to visit and we will be happy to suggest a program according to your
needs. Further you will also have to inform us some other factors like
duration, number of people traveling together and choice of hotels you
prefer. As soon as we have these details from your end, we will design a
tour especially for you and get back immediately. These details serve as
outlines for our Travel experts, who are working here, round -the-clock to
tailor make a tour for you.
»
Is the company really reliable? What is the profile of the company?ANS:
We suggest you check our profile by clicking on the "About us"
before you send us a request. Being a Destination Management Company in
India, we at ITPL have been looking after travelers from the world over
since more than two decades. Many tour operators selling India in USA,
Europe and Americas etc are working with us for our excellent support in
terms of competitive rates, efficient handling and product knowledge. We are
also approved by the Department of Tourism, Government of India and are also
members of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), American Society of
Travel Agents (ASTA) and United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).
» Is the information
provided by ITPL reliable?ANS: All the information given on our
website has been thoroughly researched and destinations visited by our
travel experts.
» Will the
information provided by me to ITPL remain confidential?ANS: Any
correspondence exchanged between you and ITPL will be kept confidential and
not out sourced to any third party under any circumstances. Moreover your
profile (Name, Email id, address, Telephone number) will be used only to
communicate with you in regards to the services you are buying or availing.
At no time will this profile be misused.
»
Can I book only the accommodation since I am coming on business?ANS:
If you are only looking at accommodation options and not a full fledged tour
or a holiday, then you can just write to us as itplsita@vsnl.com and we will
provide you with details of the hotels with which we share very special
rates.
» Where can I apply for
an Indian Visa?ANS: You are requested to get in touch with the
nearest Indian Embassy/High Commission who will apprise you with the
formalities required. Please click the link below:
http://passport.nic.in
In case you are visiting neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka
or Maldives and are returning back to India to connect your flight for home,
please ensure to apply for a MULTIPLE Entry visa.
»
What is the currency used in India? ANS: The currency of India is
the Rupee. At its current rate (i.e. on 05/09/2005) US$ 1 = Rs. 42. 50. You
are not allowed to bring in Indian currency or take it out of the country.
» How much do I pay as Airport
Tax? ANS: Most of the International tickets issued in India or out
of India are now inclusive of airport tax. In case it is not included, the
amount is Rs. 500/- per person on final departure from India to all the
countries in the world except when traveling to Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal
where the tax amount is Rs. 150/- per person.
»
Do you include Travel Insurance? ANS: We advise you to arrange
travel insurance in your country.
»
What is the time difference? ANS: The time difference in India is
+ 5 and a half-hours. This is the time difference throughout the year.
»
Are credit cards accepted in India? ANS: Credit cards are widely
accepted in Indian cities and larger towns, particularly VISA, Master Card,
Diners Club and American Express. Credit cards can also be used to get cash
advances in Indian rupees.
Some important
travel tips which will make your travel a bit easier :
Tipping - In tourist restaurants
or hotels a 10% service charge is often added to bills. In smaller places,
where tipping is optional, you need only tip a few rupees, not a percentage
of your bill. Most major hotels include a service charge of 10%. Waiters,
room service boys, housekeepers, porters, and doormen all expect to be
tipped. Taxi drivers don't expect tips unless they go through a great deal
of trouble to get to your destination, but if you hire a car with a driver,
tip him about Rs.50 -Rs. 100 per day, depending on the distance traveled.
Health Precautions
- Always drink bottled water.
- For the first few days it might be advisable to clean your teeth
in bottled water.
- Eat fruit you can peel.
- Always wash fruit well before eating it.
- Always keep a tube/spray of mosquito repellent with you.
- Always carry a kit of the basic emergency medicines you might
need for diarrhoea, fever etc. Also, band aids and an antiseptic
ointment.
- If you do catch a bug, do not panic. It will go away in a few
days - but try the following tips to keep it down:
* Drink lassi - a yogurt drink. It will help
tone down the bacteria.
* Eat plain rice, or try a simple Khichdi -
an easily digestible mixture of rice and lentils.
* Drink plenty of
coconut water. Its cooling, and naturally sterilized!
* Drink
plenty of fluids and take some electrolyte salts if the bug persists.
|
Social Interaction - If you are fair complexioned,
blonde or red-haired - and especially if you are female - chances are that
you will be stared at continuously, specially in the smaller towns. Don't be
offended - they mean no harm, it is just curiosity. Avoid crowds, especially
if you are female. Try to avoid shaking hands. Greet people with a 'namaste'
(hands pressed together at chest level as if in prayer). You will be
appreciated for using the Indian style of greeting.
Time -
Everything in India takes time - longer than in most places. So always give
yourself extra time for whatever you may have to do - even it is just a
visit to the Post Office or changing money. Indians joke about the concept
of "Indian Stretchable Time" (IST). Certainly, if you're a
super-punctual sort, India can be frustrating. Make allowances for this.
Others Keep extra photocopies of the relevant pages
of your passport. This will be required for Indian permits. When asking for
directions, ask shopkeepers, not pedestrians. Crosscheck with at least two
people. Taxi and auto-rickshaw fares keep changing, and therefore do not
always conform to readings on meters. Insist on seeing the latest rate card
(available with the driver) and pay accordingly. Insist on the taxi/auto
meter being flagged down in your presence.
Beggars - Do not let
them hassle you, and do not encourage them by giving them money. Avoid eye
contact.
Sightseeing - Dress codes for religious places
can include covering your head, being barefoot etc. Ask, so that you don't
unwillingly give offence. Some temples do not permit any leather articles at
all on their premises. Certain areas of temples are not open to Non-Hindus.
Most museums in India are closed on Mondays and Site Museums,
those near archaeological monuments, on Fridays. Photography is not always
permissible, and at many places it is permitted only at a fee. There is
usually a higher fee for using a video camera.
English is spoken
at almost all tourist centers, but you can also request Government-trained
and Approved guides who also speak German, French, Spanish, Japanese,
Italian or Russian.
