Travel agencies in Kolkata are seeing increased interest in domestic destinations this summer with hill stations, beach destinations and pilgrimage circuits drawing both families and groups amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal to citizens to avoid non-essential international travel amid the West Asia crisis.
From Kashmir to Lakshadweep and from north Bengal to Himachal Pradesh, this summer vacation has seen domestic destinations in demand among travellers from Kolkata and other parts of Bengal.
Tour operators My Kolkata spoke to said families were prioritising shorter holidays, destinations closer to home and trips where expenses remain within India.
“For Kolkatans this summer vacation, visiting hill stations seems to be the order of the day. The three highest-selling domestic tours for us at the moment are north Bengal and Sikkim, Shimla-Kullu-Manali and Dharamshala-Dalhousie-McLeodganj,” said Devmit Mookerjee, founder of DM Tours & Travels, Kolkata.
Kashmir is in high demand
According to Mohammad Wasim, proprietor of Bengal Travel Service in Kolkata, Kashmir and Kerala remain among the most sought-after destinations this year.
“There is demand for Lakshadweep too, but the prices are a bit high since the connectivity is not good from Kolkata. People are travelling mostly to Darjeeling, Gangtok and Pelling, which are closer to home. There is also increased demand for Chandigarh, Shimla and Manali,” he said.
Travel companies are also seeing tourists take a cautious approach this year. Pavan Kavad, managing director of forex company Prithvi Exchange, said travellers were becoming more value-conscious and were planning trips more carefully.
Kolkatans are also travelling to Kerala
“Many families are opting for shorter domestic holidays, booking earlier and choosing destinations where expenses remain rupee-denominated, helping reduce immediate forex outflows amid global uncertainty and pressure on the rupee. This could provide short-term support to tourism hubs such as Kashmir, Goa, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Lakshadweep and Himachal Pradesh,” said Kavad.
Abhijeet Chatterjee, who owns Pother Sathee Tour and Travels in Durgapur, said demand for Kashmir has seen a strong rebound this year after a temporary slowdown following the Pahalgam terror attack last year.
“Andaman is also in high demand, but flight fares are quite high. Himachal and Char Dham are also seeing many travellers from Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal,” he said.