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Calcutta Count Soars in Malaysian Skies
Bengal is booming, Calcuttans are flying high.
Case in point: first-class bookings on Singapore Airlines have grown by 300 per cent in Calcutta, while the number of tourists to Malaysia from this part of the country rose by about 6,000 people last year. And there are no signs of a slowdown.
"The bookings on business and first class for April and May this year have risen hugely, in comparison with the same period last year," says Bharat Mahadevan, general manager, Singapore Airlines.
The hotspots for jetsetting Calcuttans are Japan, China, London and Zurich.
Business travel has been rising steadily for the past two years, adds Mahadevan, but the current increase is contributed by both business and leisure travellers.
"Summer is traditionally a good time, but April, usually a lean month, has done very well this year. People don't seem to mind paying a little more for added luxury," observes the general manager.
The growth is largely due to the reduced fares announced by the airlines recently.
Prices to all destinations were slashed. "From Calcutta, all our flights are booked up for the second half of the summer holidays, which is when the schools are shut. And we expect more," adds Mahadevan.
The Malaysia Tourism Board, too, is crowing about the Calcutta traveller.
Indian arrival to Malaysia grew by 20 per cent in 2004, of an overall increase of 48 per cent. The eastern region was a substantial contributor, says Bhupesh Kumar, manager, marketing, Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board.
"There used to be about 10,000 to 12,000 tourists from the region. Last year, the number rose to about 18,000. It partly has to do with the increase in the number and frequency of flights from Calcutta to Malaysia," Kumar says.
In 2004, 172,966 Indians visited the country, against 145,153 in 2003. These arrivals have made India the 10th largest contributor to the country's guest list.
Tourists from India to Malaysia in January, February and June 2004 set a new record as the "highest monthly figures in the history of the tourism industry", with 15,942 visitors in January, 14,198 in February and 23,778 in June, said a spokesperson for the tourism board. The target for this year-end is 300,000.
According to tourism board internal studies, Indians are the top five spenders in Malaysia, in terms of shopping. "Last year, Indians spent around $75 million in Malaysia," adds Kumar.
Calcutta 30/04/2005
