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| The cover of the current issue of Condé Nast Traveller |
No marks for guessing the identity of this Indian holiday destination, being promoted by Condé Nast Traveller — “a sophisticated, charming and friendly city”.
Yes, it’s Calcutta.
“India has been voted ‘favourite country in the world’ in the annual Readers’ Travel Awards,” declared Condé Nast Traveller. The April issue of the leading tourism glossy included a questionnaire which was also put online. The announcement was made at Claridge’s hotel, in London.
Sarah Miller, editor of Condé Nast Traveller, said: “The magazine is for the discerning traveller. We had 30,000 replies, so this really means something. I’m delighted that India scored so well in our Readers’ Travel Awards. As it celebrates 60 years of Independence, it shows India’s moment has come.”
India scored an average of 89, with its best features being culture (97.17 out of 100), value for money (94.78) and a variety of attractions (96.30). India was followed by Italy, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.
Calcutta gets a positive projection from Condé Nast: “The capital of West Bengal is a sophisticated, charming and friendly city, that belies its popular image as poverty-stricken and chaotic.”
Calcutta has much to offer the British. But one reason why its economy has not benefited from the increase of foreign traffic to India is that the Bengal tourism authorities, as well as the state government, have failed to promote its attractions.
“The inbound foreign tourists to the city are mostly seasonal. Mainly low-budget tourists come here,” said Anil Punjabi, the chairman (east) of Travel Agents Federation of India. “At the moment, Calcutta gets 30 to 35 per cent less foreign tourists than a Delhi or a Mumbai.”
The glowing mention in Condé Nast Traveller “will definitely help improve Calcutta’s image among foreign tourists” felt Punjabi. Condé Nast mentions how the city was home to one of the world’s most famous figures, Mother Teresa, and how it has some of the country’s finest remnants of British colonial architecture. It mentions how Dalhousie Square, with Writers’ Buildings, and Chowringhee, with its glittering shops and restaurants, hotels and cinemas, are all British in temperament.
But in old north Calcutta, on the busy streets of Shyambazar and at the Kali temple, the city’s personality is still distinctly Bengali, adds Condé Nast Traveller. “Calcutta has a rich cultural, intellectual and political heritage and Bengali theatre is amongst the finest in India.”
Instead of sending Indians to the Andaman Islands for quite long trips, as was once the case, the British now want to go there themselves — and via Calcutta.
“The mysterious Andaman Islands, located 960 km off the east coast of India, are made up of a jigsaw scatter of more than 200 islands... inhabited by ancient tribes that today remain some of the most traditional in the world. Port Blair, the main town, offers civilised restaurants along with gorgeous rainforests and unspoilt beaches.”
Another Indian destination being promoted would have pleased Satyajit Ray, who used the setting in his Feluda story Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress): “Jaisalmer, a fairytale fortress city close to Rajasthan’s border with Pakistan, was founded in the 12th Century by Prince Jaisal as a staging post for camel trains. These days, it is a great place from which to explore the strange beauty of the desert.”
Readers were asked to give marks to their favourite destinations in 10 categories.
India did not do well on ‘environmental friendliness’ — it scored in the 70s or 60s (out of 100) but did “absolutely brilliantly” for variety of attractions and culture.