Ruins of St Paul’s Church in Macau

A surge in the number of Calcuttans going abroad for holidays has made tour operators shift focus from business tourists.

The last three years have seen a 25 per cent rise in the count of leisure tourists from the eastern region, according to tour operators.

“The leisure tourists headed mainly to Southeast Asia. But for the last few years, people are going to unconventional destinations for holidays,” said Sanjay Sett, the managing director of Globe Forex & Travels Limited.

Ninety per cent of the company’s revenues used to come from business travellers, while leisure tourists made up for the rest. The distribution has become more even now. “We are trying to increase the revenue share of leisure travellers to 50 per cent,” added Sett.

The travel industry in the eastern region was dependent on business travellers five years back but the trend is changing, stated Anil Punjabi, the chairman (east) of Travel Agents Federation of India.

Lower costs and flights to new destinations have contributed to the shift. “Travelling to international destinations from Calcutta has become cheaper and easier,” Punjabi added.

Along with this, video conferencing and cost-cutting measures by companies have resulted in a dip in business travel, said a tour operator.

An official of the state tourism department felt customised, short-duration packages being offered by tour operators are drawing leisure tourists. In the last three years, packages to at least 10 exotic destinations across the world have been introduced in Calcutta, according to tour operators. And more such packages will be offered.

“For the summer holiday we are exploring destinations in China. Macao is also on our radar. These places have traditionally been on the itinerary of the business traveller,” said Punjabi.

The tour operators are also keen on attracting leisure tourist traffic from abroad. They have approached the tourism departments of countries in Southeast and West Asia to promote eastern India.