The Love industry

The business of love has spawned an entire industry dedicated to celebrating Valentine's Day, which at conservative estimates generates business worth more than Rs 22,000 crore. One-third of all purchases related to Valentine's Day happen online, by 65 million people.
Jewellery items are fast gaining popularity on the gift items list, constituting 23 per cent of all Valentine's Day gift sales.

A romantic dinner is another popular option to celebrate Valentine's Day, with 20 per cent of all Valentine's Day spending done on meals. Equality of the sexes certainly takes a holiday on this day, with average spending by men twice the average spending by women - Rs 4,000 is what a guy will shell out vis-a-vis Rs 2,000 shelled out by the ladies, according to a survey by CashKaro.com.

In an era of instant messaging, the greeting card as a gift option is most certainly quaint but they constitute 14 per cent of all gift items on Valentine's Day.

Some may consider them a clich, but chocolates remain a popular, even if an unimaginative choice according to some, as a Valentine's Day gift. Twelve per cent of all gift items on Valentine's Day are chocolates, in one form or another.

Romantic getaways, ranging between Rs 6,000 to Rs 60,000 are catching up fast, especially to domestic tourist destinations.

No Valentine's Day celebrations are considered complete without the mandatory flowers, which have become an industry unto themselves. This year's flower exports in February will touch $3.3 million - a rise of 10 per cent year-on-year compared to February last year, when India exported $3 million worth of flowers.