KOLKATA: Banker Ranajit Mukherjee had plans to escape the scorching Kolkata heat in April. He wanted to take his wife and son to Ahaldara, Tabakoshi, and Rangaroon in North Bengal for a peaceful time among the Hills.
They even looked into homestays. But he reconsidered. “Since places like Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling had elections in April, I worried about getting stuck during our family trip,” he said. Safety comes first, so they decided to postpone their getaway.
As Kolkata swelters under the scorching heat, tourists are eager to flock to North Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and other hill stations to seek respite. However, the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 have put a damper on travel plans for many families. Concerns about potential disruptions during the election period have left tourists hesitant to go on vacations.
“There’s a mixed feeling among the tourists. They are apprehensive if they get stuck somewhere due to the polls. So, most of them are making plans post June 4 i.e. after the vote counting is over. Family holidays are for peace of mind and relaxation,” said Anil Punjabi, committee member, of the Travel Agents Federation of India representing East India. He also said Kashmir remains the top choice among tourists, despite the apprehensions surrounding travel during the elections. In international travel, destinations like Bangkok, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam continue to attract travellers.
Prosenjit Bhowmick, a travel planner, shared that North Bengal is a preferred destination for Bengal tourists. However, the overall summer travel trend is weaker this year, with tourists favouring resorts near Kolkata with pool facilities to beat the heat.
“Places like Darjeeling, Sittong, Lepchajagat, Charkhole, Peshok, Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, are attracting crowds. However, the sales are not too high,” he said.
Travel experts, particularly those handling international travel, aren’t “so happy” either.
Shamik Sengupta a travel expert, highlighted how the summer usually sees a significant influx of tourists in Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore but this year has seen a noticeable decline. Instead, they are surprised to see tourists already beginning to plan for Durga Puja. Chandramouli Thakur, another travel expert, also pointed out the early start of Durga Puja travel planning among Bengal tourists.
“The travel and tourism market is down due to the elections, but Puja planning has started early this year,” he said.