The Hindu Business Line : Kolkata to host shopping fest in October

THE Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI), in association with the Department of Tourism, West Bengal, is organising a nine-day shopping festival here between October 9 and 17.

Christened Kolkata Shopping Festival, the extravaganza is meant to showcase the retail buying power of Kolkata and the neighbouring region. The tourism department will offer special packages with a view to attracting people to places of tourist interest outside Kolkata as well.

Stating this at a press conference held here on Tuesday, Mr Biswadip Gupta, President of BCCI, said the event had been conceptualised with a view to changing the perception of Kolkata and also to demonstrate the market potential of the city and the State.

Major retailers who have confirmed their participation in the event include West Side, Forum Mall, Crossword, Swabhumi, Vardaan Market, Shreeram Arcade, Landmark, Café Coffee Day, etc.

Special packages were being discussed with airlines even as the railways would be requested to run special late night trains during the duration of the festival. The hospitality industry, too, would pitch in with special packages.

Mr Gupta said West Bengal had witnessed unprecedented growth in the retail segment in the last five years. In the last two years alone, car sales in the State had gone up by 110 per cent, two-wheelers 81 per cent, personal computers 651 per cent, air-conditioners 386 per cent and microwave ovens by 482 per cent. Since the beginning of this year, five mega malls have been set up and the real estate sector has witnessed a boom.

To attract customers, carnivals and fashion shows would be organised at major shopping centres. Celebrities, too, would be around to add colour to the shopping festival, which promises to be "memorable experience" for all stakeholders.

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