In the past one week alone, air fares have doubled at least threefold on the busiest sectors like Delhi and Mumbai leaving passengers coming in and going out of the city perplexed.

"The normal fare on an advance purchase of a week from Jaipur to Mumbai has increased to Rs 6,000 and Rs 10,000 as against Rs 2,800 and Rs 4,000 a month ago. This caused a fall in ticket sale," said Gunjan Singhal, chairman of BCS Tours and Travels. 

Though the rise in fares is a national phenomenon, it implications vary from one city to another. Pink City attracts a sea of tourist during this season. It also play host to many national and international events like seminars, workshop and symposiums. And the abrupt rise in fares will effect the movement of visitors coming from far-off destinations.

Sample this: The airfare from Banglore to Jaipur has risen from Rs 3,800 to Rs 7,000 in just couple of weeks. Most airlines and tour operators are now bombarded with enquiries on the rising fares.

Syed Shahnawaz Chisthi, a tour operator said out of 10 inquiries, his company was able to convert only one into air passenger. "In the past three days, many frequent fliers booked rail tickets for Mumbai, Hyderabad Delhi owing to this hike," Shahnawaz said.

If the rise in airfare is not checked in time, it will adversely affect the tourist season and corporate events planned in the coming months, most tour operators and event managers said. The hospitality sector fears it may lose foreign and domestic tourists who come here via Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

TOI