A cluster of holidays from April 29 to May 4, centred around the West Bengal Assembly elections, has nudged many Kolkatans to pack their bags for a quick escape, with nearby resorts and hotels reporting a steady rise in bookings for the extended weekend.
With April 29 marked as a polling holiday, followed by May 1 for Labour Day and the weekend coming immediately after, many have planned short trips in and around Kolkata. The counting day on May 4 has further stretched the break, making it an ideal opportunity for travel.
While the overall sentiment is mixed, hospitality insiders say there is clear movement, especially among local travellers seeking short weekend getaways.
“We expected more bookings, but it is not overwhelming. People are apprehensive. They don’t want to step out of their homes during the elections. Also, one reason could be the alcohol ban. Maybe more people would turn up if there were no alcohol ban. I won’t say it is anything unusual. Bookings are there, but not too many. Mostly local guests. Maybe after the 29th, people will turn up more,” said Rajib Roy Choudhury, associate vice president at Vedic Village Spa and Resort in New Town.
Other properties, however, are witnessing a near sellout. A staff member at Gram Bangla Resort in Bibirhat confirmed they are fully booked for the weekend. A similar scene is visible at resorts closer to Diamond Harbour in South 24 Parganas. At Punyalaxmi, only premium rooms are available, indicating high demand despite the dynamic prices.
Most resorts and hotels My Kolkata spoke to said that the guests were mostly residents of West Bengal.
Restrictions around election days have also influenced booking patterns.
Since April 29 is poll day and April 30 (Thursday) is a weekday, many people are travelling after casting their vote — on May Day, which is a holiday.
“Our resort is booked for a wedding on April 28 and 29. However, local police have not permitted room bookings for tourists from within West Bengal on these dates. There is no official circular yet for May 4, and currently, only foreign nationals are being allowed. Bookings remain steady on other days, especially May 1 and 2, while weddings are being treated as exceptions,” said Ranajit Saha of Sonar Bangla Kolaghat.
Heritage and boutique stays are also witnessing demand and getting steady enquiries. “We are getting quite a few queries for this weekend. People are travelling, given it is a long weekend,” said Ajay Rawla, owner of Bawali Rajbari.
Resorts like Breathing Earth near Diamond Harbour are also sold out, mostly with local guests, checking in from Friday to Sunday.