Festival to attract tourists in off

Jan. 29. - Seventy-four tourism organisations of Siliguri, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh are organising a festival to attract tourists here from all over India and outside, particularly during the off-seasons.

The East Himalaya Festival, will focus on areas from the Sunderbans to Namdhapa in Arunachal Pradesh.

`The month-long festival, which began on 9 January and would end on 8 February, has already attracted about 300 non residential Indians and people of Indian origin apart from foreign tourists,`Mr Raj Basu, the vice president of Association for Conservation of Tourism, a key EHF member said.

The Centre observed 9 January as the Prabasi Bharatiya Diwas, and it is celebrated at no other place in the state other than in Calcutta. `So, we have decided to keep abreast with the development through our own initiative` Mr Basu added.

`The objective of the EHF is to bring more people to the lesser known tourist spots during the off season,` said Mr Gautam Manandhar, an EHF member from Kathmandu. The Koshitapu Birding Festival in Eastern Nepal, a part of the EHF itinerary, will start from 1 February. The Koshitapu bird sanctuary is the largest wetland for birds, migrating to the Himalayan region.

The EHF organisers have also roped in the Kaziranga Elephant Festival that begins tomorrow, and also the Dehing Patkai Festival.

While the elephant festival is famous all over the country and abroad, the lesser known Dehing Patkai festival is equally interesting,`said Mr Pintu Dutta of Guwahati. Dehing is the name of a river and Patkai is the name of a peak in the Eastern Himalayas in Assam.

The organisers are thinking of variety to make the festival attractive for all.
Bhutan will offer two treks on the trail of Buddhism. `The treks will begin from Paro and will give the trekkers the opportunity to learn more about the sect of Buddhism followed in Bhutan. It has already kindled interest among the tourists,` said Mr Karchung Wangchuk, a travel-agent in Thimphu, Bhutan.

`The next time, we intend to include Bangladesh in the itinerary,`said Mr Zamiul Zamil Ahmed of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The EHF has attracted 65 tour operators from Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Goa who operate internationally. They have assessed the festival and assured to send over 1,000 tourists next year,`said Mr Basu. Although the Centre has not sent in any help, help came in from DGAHC. `The DGAHC has supported the festival with heavily subsidised tariffs for the use of its facilities by the NRIs and POIs,` Mr Basu said. The organisers, who have already held a car rally, also organised train rides through the exotic Dooars and Darjeeling hills. They will also have a Darjeeling Himalayan Railway lovers' meet at Siliguri on 5 February.

`Already 52 foreigners, mainly from the United Kingdom, have confirmed to attend the meet` the ACT vice president said.

Courtesy
The Statesman

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