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Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
West Bengal's Digha sees hotel rates soar ahead of first Rath Yatra: Temple tourism drives demand; officials warn hoteliers over overcharging
KOLKATA/DIGHA: The rush of devotees to participate in the first Rath Yatra in Digha after the inauguration of the Jagannath temple has triggered an unprecedented demand for accommodation in the seaside town. The average room tariff, which had jumped by 50% in May after the temple's inauguration, has nearly doubled ahead of Rath Yatra. Complaints of a 10-fold hike in rates at some hotels have prompted the district administration to ask hoteliers to display tariff charts and warn that any attempt to charge higher tariffs will att-ract fines of up to Rs 1 lakh. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Eastern India has also asked its members to refrain from making an overkill. 'We want hotel tariffs to be sustainable. For the sanctity of business, we have urged our members to keep tariffs moderate,' said HRAEI president Sudesh Poddar. Sources said the crackdown by the district administration followed allegations that some hotels were charging Rs 3,000 for non-AC rooms that could be booked for Rs 300 on weekdays. While the association claimed hotels were adhering to the administration's directive, privately hoteliers acknowledged that rates had gone up. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like เทรด CFDs ด้วยเทคโนโลยีเทรดสุดล้ำ และ รวดเร็วกว่า IC Markets สมัคร Undo Hoteliers say the Jagannath temple has transformed Digha's hospitality sector, triggering an expansion in anticipation of a surge in demand. In May, hotel tariffs on weekends crossed record levels, with a suite in one hotel going for Rs 20,000 per night. 'The temple has changed the business landscape. We are seeing a new trend of visitors combining pilgrimage with beach tourism, leading to extended stay and increased spending,' said Bipradas Chatterjee, joint secretary of Digha Hoteliers Association. The town now boasts 850 hotels, including 100 premium properties in New Digha, with the capacity to accommodate about 80,000 guests daily. The hospitality sector has also expanded geographically, with new hotels emerging along the Odisha border in view of the growing visitor influx. This expansion has also created employment opportunities, contributing to the local economy. However, the visitor surge has led to infrastructural challenges, with periodic traffic congestion becoming common during morning and evening hours. The temple's impact extends beyond just occupancy rates, as hotels report increased revenue from associated services like restaurants and local tourism packages. Radhagobinda Bhojanaalaya, one of the very few pure vegetarian restaurants in Digha, has seen demand skyrocket in the past month and half. 'We used to get about 30 customers earlier. But since the temple was inaugurated, we are struggling to serve around 300 customers daily. We can can seat only 28 people at a time. We are looking for a bigger place. We have already doubled our staff,' said Rajat Kumar Dutta, son of owner Laksmikanta Dutta. At the temple's gate no. 6, a dedicated offerings stall is also doing great business. 'A packet of offerings contains six peda and two gaja, priced at Rs 100. Over 100 packets are sold daily, and seven to eight employees are working on packing and selling these offerings,' said Raj Agarwal, the stall supervisor. Local resident Ranjit Jana from Dahodaya village offers sandalwood tilak to visitors. 'The temple is open from 6 am to 8 pm daily, with a break from 1 pm to 3 pm. If pilgrims want, I apply sandalwood tilak on their foreheads. The donations they give are much more than what I used to earn as a labourer,' he said.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Summer 2025 footfall at Kol restos and bars beats pre-pandemic high
1 2 Kolkata: Footfall across Kolkata restaurants is the highest this summer since the pandemic, with most eateries across south and central Kolkata seeing a full house during lunch and dinner. Online orders saw a major spike over the last fortnight. The rise in footfall was around 20% compared to last summer, according to Hotel and Restaurants' Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) president Sudesh Poddar. While the summer vacation is on, the weather, though warm, was better than last summer when the city was gripped by a heatwave. These factors may have contributed to a footfall spurt, felt Poddar. "While footfall rise every summer, this year it was around 20% more compared to last May-June. Unlike 2024, it rained more often this time, making it a comfortable to dine out. It also helped that the IPL playoffs were played till this week. It always attracts the young who love to couple cricket with eating out," said Poddar. Oudh 1590 and Chapter 2 have seen steady growth in footfall since the beginning of May. "It has been rising steadily, and it helped that we had our biryani festival on throughout last month. Summers are usually good for sales, but this year it was even better, possibly due to the improved weather. Despite the occasional scorching period, people have been gorging on biryani and other north Indian fare. At Chapter 2, sales have been moderately higher than last summer's as well," said Shiladitya Chaudhury, co-founder and owner of Oudh and Chapter 2. Park Street has seen a larger crowd during both lunch and dining hours since mid-May, said restaurateurs. Peter Hu has seen a waiting crowd every evening over the last month. "This has been the best summer since the pandemic, and the footfall was 15% higher. We've had people waiting to get in even on weekdays. One reason could be the weather, which has been more bearable than the last two summers. Secondly, along with the younger generation, the elders, too, are now more into eating out. Online orders, too, have increased," said Siddharth Kothari of Peter Hu. At Mocambo and Peter Cat, waiting crowds have gotten progressively bigger over the last fortnight. "We had full attendance throughout the day since the beginning of May. It has really been a good summer so far, easily the most crowded since the pandemic across all our outlets, including Peter Cat," said Mocambo and Peter Cat owner Nitin Kothari. "We had a near-full attendance even during weekdays since last Sunday. Food sales have jumped appreciably. Liquor sales have dipped since we have more families coming in now. But that has been more than made up by the higher footfall and larger food orders," said Pratap Daryanani, owner of Oasis on Park Street. Footfall has been driven by a bigger family crowd, said Poddar, who owns Songhai, MS Bar & Lounge, and Manthan.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Covid nudge behind Kolkata's recent al fresco dining boom
Kolkata: Open-air dining evolved into a trend, and al fresco dining became a go-to choice for parties in Kolkata, gaining popularity especially after the pandemic ushered in an era of social distancing. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Italian term 'al fresco' — meaning "in the fresh air" — found deep relevance with the citizens after the pandemic first altered the city's rhythm. That is when al fresco dining shifted from being a temporary fix to a defining lifestyle trend. Before the pandemic, the city barely had around 20 restaurants that offered outdoor seating. By the start of 2025, that number grew exponentially to around 500, according to industry estimates. For many restaurant owners, the shift was born out of necessity. Lockdowns and indoor capacity restrictions forced them to adapt creatively — opening up terraces, parking areas, and lawns to keep business afloat. "We had an open-air as well as closed dining area since we opened in 2017. But after the pandemic, people started preferring the open spaces, and soon customers started falling in love with the setup. Now, with the current confusion surrounding the operation of rooftop setups, we are awaiting more clarity from the govt, and we have temporarily suspended our outdoor operations," said the owner of a rooftop restobar in south Kolkata. Sudesh Poddar, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Associations of Eastern India, agreed. "The pandemic changed customer psychology. Many people still prefer outdoor seating for the added sense of space and ventilation. Al fresco dining, while not a new concept, has seen a tremendous resurgence in Kolkata," he said. Unlike garden patios or sidewalk cafes common in the West, Kolkata's al fresco spaces have largely taken to the skies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With limited horizontal space in a densely packed city, rooftops have emerged as the most viable alternative. Restaurants like Capella, WhatsUp Café, and Blue and Beyond were early adopters of this trend. "In Kolkata, the shift to alfresco dining happened organically. But the majority of us have both indoor and outdoor spaces as Kolkata weather is often not suitable for outdoor dining. Especially during summer and the rainy season, outdoor seating becomes difficult. But in winters, especially, we see a huge surge in customers who want to dine under the stars," said a senior official of Capella in Sector V. "Earlier, al fresco dining was mostly limited to weddings, parties, and clubs. But now, more people are opting for open spaces even for casual, daily dining and that shift has made dining more interactive," said Manzilat Fatima of popular outdoor dining option Manzilat's. "Post-Covid, there's a clear preference for open-air dining. Al fresco spaces offer a breath of fresh air. People seem to crave lighter, more soothing ambiences now." She added that with rooftops now banned due to recent incidents, they don't know how they will adapt. "It's not something that will sit well with business owners or customers. This shift will likely face resistance from both ends," Manzilat explained. Even during warmer months, some patrons make it work. Chandrani Mukherjee, a techie, said she loves visiting Roots near Rabindra Sadan even during summer. "There's something refreshing about being outdoors. We spend hours at home and in office in air-conditioned environments. The wind blowing and the sight of Victoria Memorial under the sky with not-so-loud music is my preference during a hangout with friends," said the Jadavpur resident. Modern al fresco restaurants are also a far cry from plastic chairs and basic setups. Today's open-air venues blend nature with design — think plush seating, ambient lighting, pergolas draped in bougainvillea, and vertical gardens which are curated for both comfort and Instagram appeal. "There's a definite cost involved," said the owner of another popular rooftop restobar in Sector V. "But the growing footfall justifies the investment. However, with the current confusion surrounding the govt diktat, we have been left clueless on what to do next."
