The rural tourism and homestay movement, which was started by the Association for Conservation and Tourism (ACT) from the Bengal and Sikkim Himalaya about 3 decades ago, and has now taken front seat, which has further impacted eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and all the neighbouring landscapes. The pride of the villagers in agriculture and related heritage has been brought back through tourism ownership. ACT has helped them realise the value of their cultural and natural heritage through this movement. Linking all this with the urban market has become more than necessary, and there can be no better patron than Kolkata, a city where every soul is a born tourist. It was easy to get together here in Kolkata for tourism of the Himalayan region, where there is immense love for the region among the residents and hence the initiative of Himalayan Orange Tourism Festival was taken in 2014. The next festival was organised in 2016, followed by the festivals in 2018, 2021, and 2022. This year we are going to organise the 6th edition of the festival in Kolkata.
After series of village leaders meeting and few local festivals, Himalayan Orange was accepted as the title which would connect most of the villages connecting the festival. Also, Orange being one of the most popular fruits very well becomes the face for all agro and horti produce and interestingly for tourism too. Highlights of this year’s festival : Agrotourism, crafts, culture, cuisine, and heritage and homestays from Darjeeling Hills and Dooars, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and other Norteast India villages. Also, Himachal Pradesh and few other villages of rest of India, Nepal and Bhutan are also joining.
This year, it has been decided to hold 121 adda for tour operators and other agriproduce industry members from West Bengal and Kolkata to further connect with rural tourism stakeholders and agrienterprises on the 7th of December from 12 noon to 5 PM. Village cultural groups from the participating organizations are also gearing up to perform their best, hopefully building better relationships with Kolkata.
As a part of our movement, we are organising this Himalayan Orange Tourism Festival, where City Centre of Saltlake has always been our venue partner.
We request your kind presence at the inauguration on December 6, 2024, at 2 PM and the cultural evening Inauguration at 5 PM. We cordially invite you to enjoy the 6th Himalayan Orange Tourism Festival on all days from, from 6th to 8th December 2024 at City Centre 1, Salt Lake, Kolkata from 12 noon to 8 pm.
The festival initiation was because of Rabindranath Tagore’s relation with the Darjeeling Hills through oranges.
 from the Bengal and Sikkim Himalaya about 3 decades ago, and has now taken front seat, which has further impacted eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and all the neighbouring landscapes. The pride of the villagers in agriculture and related heritage has been brought back through tourism ownership.){kind=link}