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ZEE JLF 2019: Home to tourists – The money spinner

The five-day extravaganza sees in excess of 1 million visitors who are here to listen to some 2000 authors and panelists making it one of the biggest money spinner for the hospitality industry

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ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival is a huge draw for book lovers from across the globe. In the month of January, when the five-day literature fest opens to the literature lovers, the Pink City, is a witness to a deluge of domestic and international tourists who are here to attend the greatest literary show on earth! 

The five-day festival hosts prominent writers, historians, poets, translators and editors, in addition to more than a million book lovers from around the world. Industry estimates peg the arrival of domestic tourists to over 3,00,000 in addition to 10,000 international travellers during the literature extravaganza. 

Their presence naturally revs up the local economy and serves as a booster shot to the entire hospitality industry. Hotels are booked months in advance, flight prices go bonkers and trains, buses, and vehicles on rent are packed to capacity. 

Economically, the mega literary event makes huge business sense for tour operators. They have added JLF to their itinerary to woo national and international clients and curated their tour packages so that visitors to the city get a feel of JLF, which is now an important element of the city’s tourism calendar.

According to Sanjoy Roy, the festival producer, JLF has emerged as such a huge brand that there are takers for the festival in several states of USA and the UK.

And, the colourful Bazaars of Jaipur, which tourists simply love! Jaipur, widely known for the shopping experience it offers a great experience to the visitors. The Walled City markets like Johari Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar are flooded with tourists haggling with the shopkeepers for popular Rajasthani goods. 

Travel experts say that last year during the literature festival, the Pink City had seen booking of 3,000 additional rooms. Hence, the hotels, this time, are well-prepared to handle the rush. The 5-day festival will include weekend holiday on Republic Day (January 26), so for many, it would also be a weekend destination. 

Similar is the case with the airlines where travel agents are regularly receiving queries from their foreign counterparts for offering end-to-end travel arrangements during this fest. Notably last year, almost 10,00,000 people had walked into the venue of the literature festival. The 1st edition of this festival had taken place in 2006.

The Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) leaves behind many footprints of writers and thinkers, society movers and shakers, and ordinary book lovers who walk into it with reason (or in many cases the absence of it). JLF promotes a new breed of tourism in the recession-plagued economy. The best part about the festival: Literature is found, read and appreciated amidst the attention-grabbing high boots and trendy winterwear with the cosmopolitan crowd shuffling between different venues for keeping a date with chosen authors.

An autowallah parked outside the venue Diggi Palace summed it up best. Like the app-based cabs, he too went for surge pricing quoting a fare that was three times the regular charge. “Sahab, kahin bhi chalo lekin paise touristwallein hi lagenge” (We will take you wherever you want to, but you will have to pay the fare we charge tourists). 

JUST LOOK AT THESE FIGURES

  • Last year, almost 10,00,000 people had walked into the venue of the literature festival. The 1st edition of this literature festival had taken place in 2006.
     
  • The five-day festival hosts some 2,000 prominent writers, historians, poets, translators and editors from around the world. They find an audience at the Diggi Palace in Jaipur, the host to the festival since its inception.
     
  • Travel and trade experts say that last year during the literature festival, the Pink City had seen booking of 5,000 additional rooms. Hence, the hotels, this time, have prepared in advance to handle the rush during the five days of the festival.
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