Joy Roy Choudhury – Kolkata
The Bengal Travel Mart was recently held at Mainak Hotel Complex in Siliguri to showcase the state’s tourism destinations to major tour operators and buyers from across the country and abroad. The event was jointly organised by North Bengal Development Department, West Bengal Tourism and Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators’ Association (EHTTOA). Gautam Deb, North Bengal development minister and A R Bardhan, principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of West Bengal were present at the event along with other dignitaries.
Gautam Deb (third from right), North Bengal development minister and A R Bardhan (right), principal secretary, department of tourism, Government of West Bengal lighting the lamp to inaugurate the event
Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Partha Guha, general secretary, EHTTOA said, “We had invited noted tour operators and trade partners from outside Bengal to showcase to them the tourism products of our state. The objective was to educate and inform them about Bengal and about the different tour packages they can offer to their clients. We hope that post the successful business deliberations between the participating tour operators from outside and the tourism service providers from the state, there will be an increased interest about the tourist destinations in Bengal, which will help in increasing the tourist footfall into the state.” He added, “Bengal Travel Mart was different from the tourism fairs that are generally organised in Kolkata and elsewhere in Bengal every year. The response to the first edition was overwhelming. We certainly plan to make it an annual event.”
EHTTOA had roped in Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) and Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) for the event.