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ITC arm promotes tourism by holding 'royal weddings' for NRIs

January 10, 2003 14:00 IST

Wishing to arrange a wedding in India in a royal way with a procession of vintage cars, liveried guards, horses with lancers and ornate ceremonies in the style of the Maharajas in heritage palaces? A travel company offers it all.

International Travel House, an ITC group company, is now promoting tourism by wooing non-resident Indians back home to hold their marriage ceremonies in royal palaces of India.

Travel House, which is aggressively marketing this new 'wedding management service' to NRIs at the ongoing Pravasi Bharatiya Divas meet in New Delhi, has specially designed this facility for NRIs.

"The package has been designed for NRIs who wish to hold their weddings in India in a royal way and it covers everything including airfare to India, mehendi charges, dinners, receptions, honeymoon, fireworks, floral decoration," business head of Travel House, Sunil Hasija, said on Friday.

Hasija said the concept was just four months old and the company had already held two marriages.

Listing out all the services in a pamphlet, which says "We guarantee a celebration so magnificent, so unique, that it becomes the event of your life", the company is expecting good feedback from Indians living abroad.

"We can arrange the marriages in the palaces of Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaipur or Cochin," Hasija said adding that "apart from arranging a Hindu marriage, we provide services for other communities including Christians and Muslims."

Apart from arranging for wedding ceremonies, services offered under the package include shopping and sightseeing for guests, he said.

The cost of such weddings in India was much cheaper than the overseas weddings, Hasija said, adding "for arranging a reception with a theme like Rajasthani mela, dance and music would cost around $750."

Even if the cost is dependent on ones requirements, still it was much less than the cost of such a wedding held overseas, he said.