Business, Bollywood flies off to beat poll heat

The day when Mumbai will be going to polls on April 24, practically all of Bollywood will be on America's east coast for a film awards night. Across the Pacific, a good 2,000 corporates hosted by a Mumbai-based chemical company will be discussing matters of business in the Alps. And closer home, thousands of Indians will take flight to Dubai to catch the IPL matches, which will run right through the election dates from April 16-30.

Travel industry observers maintain that thousands - if not lakhs - of Indians, including corporate honchos and top Bollywood stars, will be travelling abroad next month even as the election fever builds up across the country.

"Some of the corporates have deliberately timed their foreign trips coinciding with the days leading to the elections to escape the demand for funds from parties – and candidates – across the spectrum," said the director of a leading travel agency, adding that there has been a surge in bookings by businessmen and industrialists for the first half of April where typically the peak season for international travel is May-June.

Hundreds of conferences, seminars and incentive trips have been planned internationally, with most of the corporates heading to Europe in April.

"We will be hosting close to 60 companies this season," confirmed Aishvarya Guhagarkar, Director MICE, Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau, adding that the numbers are in keeping the country's popularity as the de-stressing destination not only for corporates, but also their key employees and associates. "The clashing of dates with the elections may be coincidental since these trips were planned much before the date of elections were announced," she said.

In terms of celebrities, the biggest exodus will be to Florida for the film event from April 24-26, with the who's who of Bollywood scheduled to fly out. While a couple of superstars will ink their fingers and hop onto a chartered flight on the morning of April 24, the rest of the Bollywood folks will skip voting – and even canvassing requests.

"Tampa Bay is extremely excited by the momentum we are experiencing as the preparations for the awards are well underway," said a spokesperson of Visit Tampa Bay, adding that though the exact number of visitors is not yet certain, previous editions of the awards have attracted thousands of visitors besides the Bollywood stars.

Another huge international exodus is expected to the Gulf during the IPL fortnight in Dubai that also coincides with the election period. "The rush is on since it is also summer vacation time," said Gopal Das of Quick Visa Consultants, adding that the Election Commission should allow Indians travelling abroad to cast their vote at the local embassy. With that option not being given this time round, many prominent voters will be missing in action on D-day.