A PUSH by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for buyers to look beyond the oft-trodden Delhi-Agra-Jaipur circuit is seeing willing takers, thanks to better connectivity through the Kolkata gateway.
Buyers at CII’s Destination East showcase in Kolkata give a nod to the push.
Patrick Lee, regional director of Singapore-based Best Travels Deals, said: “There are several exciting options that the outbound market in ASEAN does not know of. The connectivity is very good in Kolkata and I am sending groups and FIT to beaches in Odisha and the mountains in Darjeeling. Most people do not know that a part of the Himalayas is so near,” he said.
Alan Moxon, managing director of Carte Blanche Travel UK, said: “This is my second visit to eastern India and we are already selling FIT packages for tea tourism in Darjeeling combined with a heritage tour in Kolkata. I hope to bring small groups this year.”
The third edition of Destination East brought 53 buyers from 15 countries to Kolkata to meet suppliers and join a three-day familiarisation trip to Darjeeling, Sikkim, Odisha and the gateway metropolis Kolkata.
