Tourists from India flock abroad for Diwali

Indian tourists have packed their bags and jetted off overseas to celebrate Diwali in their droves, with Singapore the most popular destination.

A study by Thomas Cook found that the Southeast Asian city-state was attracting most visitors for festival celebrations, followed closely by Macau and Hong Kong, South Africa, Dubai and Turkey, which all have significant Indian populations.

Singapore is set to experience a rise in the number of Indian tourists of over 45% this Diwali, compared with last year, and the director of Leisure Travel (Outbound) Thomas Cook India Ltd, Madhav Pai, says short-haul destinations are doing well.

"The festive season offers a unique opportunity for short-haul destinations. Our internal data indicate an encouraging growth this festive season - approximately 30%," he said.

The authorities in Singapore are putting on events like The Festival Village, The UTSAV Street Parade and the Fire-Walking Festival especially to celebrate Diwali, and Little India on Serangoon Road will also host big celebrations.