The segment that’s powerful enough to shape India’s destiny is the one most of us belong to. HT does a reality check
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The Indian middle class is seduced by la dolce vita and finds an HT-CNN IBN-CSDS survey. Discarding the spartan lifestyle of their parents, an increasing number of the middle class is plumping for a new attitude to spending.
Regardless of whether they live in towns, cities, or rural areas, over half of all middle-class respondents say they will rather have a good lifestyle than a simple one.
Travel and eating out are two areas drawing in new consumerists. Among the upper middle class, 63 percent have gone on a vacation at least once in the past two years; 14 percent say they eat out at least once a week. The bug seems to have caught the lower middle class too: 51 percent have taken a holiday in the past two years and 8 percent say they eat out at least once a week.
“People are traveling, are aware, and do not mind spending on exotic cuisine ranging from Moroccan to Lebanese,” said Arjun Puri who runs a catering service called XO Last year, domestic tourism alone saw a 30 percent increase, pointed out Jyoti Mayal of New Airways travel agency. “People are ready to pack and leave even for a two-day break at a moment’s notice,” she said.