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The West Bengal Government will approach foreign carriers Lufthansa and British Airways to resume its services to Kolkata. The initiative is part of an attempt to attract more foreign travellers to the State.
These popular carriers left Kolkata in April 2012 and early 2010, respectively, citing non-availability of adequate business class traffic.
According to Vikram Sen, Principal Secretary, Tourism Department, West Bengal, in an effort to woo foreign carriers, the State Government has decided to invite all airlines operating in the country to a conference scheduled at the end of this month in Kolkata.
“We are (especially) trying to persuade Lufthansa and British Airways to restart operations at Kolkata with the modern integrated terminal of Kolkata airport coming up. A conference would be held at the presence of Union Civil Aviation Ministry here,” Sen told Business Line in an interview on Thursday.
Tourism projects
He added that State Government would highlight the proposed tourism development projects in Bengal and showcase the new integrated terminal of Kolkata airport to the airlines.
A total of eight foreign carriers — Emirates, Quatar Airways, Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, United Airways (Bangladesh), Biman Bangladesh and Druk Air have services to and from Kolkata airport. The Airports Authority of India is said to have initiated talks with three more foreign airlines.
Sen said that Bengal received more than 12 lakh international tourists last fiscal. The number is expected to cross nearly 25 lakh in the next three years.
He also pointed out that there should be more thrust towards South East Asia and East Asia as airports of these regions are located in close proximity with Kolkata.
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