Bangalore: 1 in 3 persons prefer to spend New Year at home: ASSOCHAM survey
From our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Dec 12: With the countdown for the Christmas and New Year eve of 2014 having started, a survey conducted by the Social Development Foundation of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has come out with the most interesting findings that almost 35 per cent or a little more than 1 in every 3 persons in urban India would prefer to ring out the year 2013 and welcome the New Year 2014 at home with their loved ones.
The ASSOCHAM survey conducted in the 10 big cities of Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Bhopal and Chandigarh during the course of past two months October-November has revealed that the people in urban India prefer to spend the New Year eve at home with their loved ones than in the dance floors at clubs, pubs, restaurants and hotels.
A plethora of reasons like dismal financial conditions, issues relating to job security, rising inflation, traffic congestion, cold temperature, lack of safety and others have been cited as the reasons for the urban India’s mood, ASSOCHAM Secretary General D S Rawat said while releasing the findings of the chamber’s survey.
''Majority of people across metros are planning to go out with friends and relatives, most of them will celebrate the New Year’s Eve locally without splurging much of moolah,” Rawat said.
Explaining that ASSOCHAM undertook the survey to gauge the mood of people and their plans to kick-off 2014, about 2,000 college going students, young corporate executives and people engaged in various professions including individuals and couples in the age group of 18-30 years comprising equal number of men and women in 10 citie were contacted over the last two months of October-November.
''There seems to be lack of inspiration and motivation amid people as many are forgoing the traditional New Year celebrations of going out and partying,” Rawat said.
About 700 of those surveyed said they have no plans to go out for parties at hotels, clubs, pubs and other such places arranging special events on the New Year’s Eve, he said.
A vast majority of about 60 per cent of those surveyed comprised women, Rawat said pointing out that many cited security related apprehensions as the main reason as to why they prefer staying at home this December 31.
Financial woes owing to rising inflation was the second most popular excuse for people to refrain from New Year celebrations followed by job security related concerns, rampant traffic jams, need for sound sleep, cold temperature and others were the other factors pinpointed by the survey.
Majority of those staying home on the New Year’s Eve said they have planned to host a low-key gathering with a few close friends, family and relatives in the comfort of their own abode.
Of the total, about 1,100 respondents said they have made prior plans to go out for celebrating the New Year with friends and relatives.
Majority of these (65 per cent) said they would be going out for dinner parties with family or friends within their city itself. Many of these said they will go to a party at someone else’s place, noted the ASSOCHAM survey.
Among the remaining section of the people, he said hardly about 25 per cent said planned to usher-in the New Year at some hill station, coastal destination and other nearby tourist hot-spots, whereas only a handful (10 per cent) said they would be travelling overseas, the survey pointed out.