Its all about money, honey!

New Delhi, Feb 13 (UNI) Love in the air has sent the cash registers ringing as corporates are estimated to earn close to Rs 3,000 crore this year fuelled by sales of V-cards, and other gift articles.

Valentines Day has become a holiday riven with competition and hyper consumerism with earnings through sale of cards, and other gift articles like flowers, jewellery, chocolates, readymade garments etc.

The figure is expected to almost double from last year's Rs 1,400 crore.

A roadside florist who hardly makes Rs 500 a day earns more than Rs 6,000 on February 14, regardless of the sales in the entire week that follows as Valentines week.

Innovation has also led the celebrations with flowers and wine being replaced with products like mobile phones, MP3 players, iPod etc.

According to the study by industry body Assocham, online shopping companies will also rake in revenues from flowers, greeting cards, chocolates, toys and diamond jewellery.

''These gifts are not only offered with special discounts and complimentary gifts but also promised to deliver at one's home free of cost,'' chamber President Venugopal N Dhoot said.

On the lines of gift items, travel houses are not dormant about their offings either. Special V-day packages to nearby destinations like Musoorie, Kasauli, Shimla, Kerala, Nainital and Goa range from Rs 3,500 to Rs 15,000. These packages, apart from accomodation, include food, ayurvedic massages and drinks.

Telecom giants too will witness this V-day as an opportunity to reap in maximum revenue through SMS and expects to fetch in a Rs 100-150 crore on the day, Assocham observed.

UNI PDT SR HS1607