topics
tools
Expatica countries
editor's choice

Crime and the legal system in the UK

Tips for understanding the Brits

Banking in the UK

Culture and social etiquette in United Kingdom

Museums in London

Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2134 1.92
DAX 6404.64 1.16
IBEX 30 6615.1 1.40
CAC 40 3065.13 1.25
FTSE 100 5370.25 1.24
AEX 293.87 1.15
DJIA 12504.48 1.09
Nasdaq 2847.21 2.46
FTSE MIB 13342.42 2.54
TSX Composite 11280.64 -0.44
ASX 4173.5 1.19
Hang seng 19039.15 0.62
Straits Times 2823.75 1.20
ISEQ 20 494.2 0.87
You are here: Home Leisure Travel & Tourism Don't divorce, go on holiday, says Indian tour operator

Travel & Tourism

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


21/11/2009Don't divorce, go on holiday, says Indian tour operator

Don't divorce, go on holiday, says Indian tour operator A Mumbai travel company has launched "divorce tourism" packages, designed to get spouses who have fallen out of love to bury the hatchet.

Marriage hit the rocks? Considering a divorce? An Indian tour operator wants warring couples to hold off consulting lawyers and go on holiday instead -- with a relationship counsellor in tow.

KV Tours and Travels, based in India's financial capital of Mumbai, has launched "divorce tourism" packages, designed to get spouses who have fallen out of love to bury the hatchet.

"With divorce tourism, what we're trying to do is to bring together couples who are heading towards divorce to stop them," the company's chief executive Vijesh Thakker said.

Low divorce rates

India, where marriage is still viewed as the bedrock of society, has traditionally had one of the world's lowest divorce rates. Only about one in 100 marriages fail, compared with one in two in the United States.
But the divorce rate is rising, particularly in India's big cities.

"In metropolitan areas like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, where higher income people are residing, divorce is becoming quite common," Hasan Anzar, a partner at a New Delhi firm ANZ Lawz, said.
"You can definitely say that cases of family law are rising and it's happening with all lawyers."


Reasons for the rise include the greater empowerment of women in urban India through better education and employment, which has changed their aspirations in life and given them financial independence, said Anzar.

Others are interference from in-laws, many of whom live with married couples in the joint family structure, or
imported ideas of "love marriages,” as opposed to ones arranged by families along social, religious or caste lines.

In a sign of the phenomenon, ANZ Lawz runs an Internet-based subsidiary called www.divorcelawyers.co.in, which bills itself as "India's first exclusive divorce law firm.”

Elsewhere, websites like www.secondshaadi.com offer online dating services to divorcees and widows, who until recently were widely ostracised by conservative society. Shaadi is the Hindi word for wedding.

Thakker said couples at loggerheads are likely to be unwilling to spend cash on each other, so instead he is targeting family members who want to save a failing marriage -- often to save family honour -- to foot the bill.

He said he had half a dozen enquiries shortly after launching last month and was hoping for more.

Different packages are available, from weeklong stays in hill station resorts costing about 35,000 rupees (720 dollars) to more expensive foreign destinations.

"We're trying to send them where they have not been before, where there are not many people -- and no relatives," said Thakker.

Escape from obligations

Experienced marriage counsellors, whose costs are paid through deals made with hoteliers and travel agents, will accompany the husbands and wives, encouraging them to patch up their differences and make a fresh start.

A 40-year-old father of two sons and "happily married for 18 years,” Thakker reckons a seven-day trip is enough to determine a couple's future.

Anzar suggested that the concept might work because of the continuing social stigma of divorce in certain sections of Indian society and the wider significance here of marriage as a union of families, not just individuals.


Rhea Pravin Tembhekar, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist who runs a counselling centre in Mumbai, said she was intrigued by the concept.

"If you're fighting about trivial things, like time management or in-laws issues -- 'my mother, your mother, my money, your money, etcetera' -- maybe a holiday might work," she said. "But sometimes the issues are very critical, like domestic violence. You can't go on holiday and resolve that."

The unusual package comes as the Indian tourism sector suffers a downturn due to the continued effects of the global economic crisis. Overseas visitors also fell after last November's militant attacks on Mumbai.

Thakker, who hit on the concept after seeing a friend go through a divorce 18 months ago, said innovation was the key to helping boost tourist numbers.

"People are ready to accept new concepts," he said. "Nowadays divorce rates are rising, so we need to sort it out. It's a good thing we're doing. And we're helping domestic and international governments by promoting tourism."
He admitted that "we're not destiny changers," but added: "We want them to treat the trip like a second honeymoon."

Phil Hazlewood/AFP/Expatica

 


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Leisure essentials
Leisure expert Q&A
ask your question
Discussion Forums

Community Noticeboard United Kingdom

BUY NOVELTY DRIVING LICENSE,ID CARD, PASSPORT

Community Noticeboard United Kingdom

$100 MasterCard for Member with most new members

Community Noticeboard United Kingdom

Website for special needs and disabilities

Community Noticeboard United Kingdom

Military tour to Ukraine for football fans of Euro 2012

UK News

what do you think about the news of the world scandal

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Visas for coming to the UK

Visas for coming to the UK

Visa paperwork Whether you're relocating to the UK or just visiting, it's important that you find out in advance whether you need a visa.

An online guide for expats finding & purchasing a UK Property

An online guide for expats finding & purchasing a UK Property

Expat mortgages and everything to do with buying a UK property might sound complicated, but there’s plenty of help out there for you.

UK healthcare: Finding the right NHS service

UK healthcare: Finding the right NHS service

You can access the UK's National Health Service (NHS) in a range of ways. Here is an overview of the main services available to help you get the treatment you need.

Banking in the UK

Banking in the UK

Just moved to the UK? You'll need a bank account to effectively manage your money while you're here. Cliff Govender explains the UK banking system, including facilities that may come in handy down the line.