TourEast promotes cultural tourism destinations of rural Bengal offering authentic experience of heritage traditions and simplicity of rural life.
West Bengal offers unique amalgamation of diverse cultures and natural beauty of myriad hues. With 1.35 billion travelers worldwide and 35% interested in cultural tourism, it is an opportune time to showcase the cultural heritage of Bengal.
TourEast aims at engaging local communities in promoting cultural tourism thus ensuring economic benefit to the local people, strengthening community identity and pride and increasing local ownership on natural and cultural resources.
The villages of folk and crafts artists are perfect retreats for city dwellers leading a frenzied lifestyle. They offer domestic and international visitors a rich cultural experience. Visiting artists’ houses, interacting with them and learning their stories, learning to make the craft or about the traditions are few of the unique experiences offered in these trips.
Visitors who are regular to tourist destinations like Santiniketan, Bishnupur, Ajodhya Hills, Malda or Dooars can add a day in the itinerary for a trip to these craft & art hubs. All of them have hotels and and tourist lodges nearby. There is also scope for village stay and enjoying simple Indian meals cooked and served by the villagers.
Art lovers, researchers, students or institutions interested in field trips, academic visits or placing interns, engaging volunteers, photographers, young professionals may try these newly developed heritage based cultural tourism destinations. One can plan either a day tour or a weekend tour including night stay in these beautiful villages. One can also plan tours around the times that these villages host their annual festivals.