Bandh Tourism Makes its Marx in Kolkata

Hotels, tour operators outside the city capitalise on strikes by offering discounts and packages.

Three general strikes, two transport strikes and two ‘chakka jams’ or road blockades in the last two months in Kolkata have led to a dose of capitalist ingenuity. Hoteliers and tour operators in tourist spots within a few hours’ driving distance from the city are now offering discounts and special packages during agitation days. 

The calls for shutdowns usually fall on days following or preceding a weekend. Rather than staying home, many Kolkatans have traditionally headed for destinations like Santiniketan, Mandarmoni, Digha and Shankarpur. “We’re now trying to get more people to come here during the shutdowns by offering good discounts and bandh packages,” says Bipradas Chakraborty of the Digha-Shankarpur Hoteliers’ Association. 

The Association has coined the term ‘bandh tourism’, and it’s finding takers. This week, for instance, a proposed three-day transport strike from Tuesday—postponed  at the last moment— came as a blessing for tour operators. “Many of our members offered packages for this strike, not only for the three days, but the entire six days from last Saturday to Thursday. All one had to do to was take leave on Monday to enjoy an uninterrupted six-day break. There’s been a huge response to these six-day packages to destinations within a 200 km radius of Kolkata,” says Prabir Chakraborty of Bengal Travel Operators’ Federation. 

But why the 200 km radius? “Because, if a bandh or strike is suddenly withdrawn, a tourist can reach Kolkata within a few hours and get back to work,” smiles Chakraborty. As many probably grudgingly did this week. With Bengal’s political organisations showing no sign of giving up their disruptive ways, Chakraborty and his tribe are going to keep smiling for a long time.