Tourism dept to organise church trips on Christmas Eve

To attract more tourists to the city during the Kolkata Christmas festival, the state Tourism department is organising trips to various churches within the city and outside.

While addressing media at a city hotel on Wednesday, the state Tourism minister Goutam Deb said that trips would be organised on the Christmas Eve on December 24 for which online booking has already been started.

In one trip people would be taken to Mother House, churches and other places within the city. The package of the trip would cost a person around Rs 1,050 while in the other trip people will be able to visit Bandel Church and Chandannagar church.

People will be charged Rs 1,250 for the district trip. In both the cases, the journey will begin at 5 pm from the Tourism department office at BBD Bag on December 24.

Apart from these trips, there is another attraction for tourists as the state Tourism department has decided to conduct ‘Go Fishing’ tour under which the people will be able to enjoy the ambience of Sunderbans while sailing in a boat and can also enjoy fishing. There will be fishermen in the boat.

The tourists will be able to enjoy folk dance along with various delicious food in the boat. People will have to spend Rs 1,150 each for this trip which would be conducted on January 7, 21 and 28.

The journey will start at 6.30 am and reach Namkhana at around 11 am. The return journey will begin at 3.30 pm.

The Christmas Festival will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Allen Park on December 16. Various programmes would be conducted during the Christmas festival. The Park Street has already been illuminated with various lights.

Speaking at the occasion Deb said that the demonetisation had an adverse impact in the Tourism sector with the Home stays facing loss at Dooars and various places of North Bengal.