Railway Board has express plans for State tourism

VADODARA, May 10: In a bid to promote tourism in Gujarat and offset the failure of the Royal Orient Express, the Railway Board has forwarded...

VADODARA, May 10: In a bid to promote tourism in Gujarat and offset the failure of the Royal Orient Express, the Railway Board has forwarded a proposal to the State government, suggesting it tie up with various agencies to provide tourists, particularly foreigners, a unique experience of the State on road and rail.

Sources in the Vadodara division of the Western Railways and the State Tourism department told Express Newsline that though such a proposal had been first made one-and-a-half years ago 8212; six months after the Orient Express, the Delhi-Ahmedabad luxury train modelled after the Palace-on-Wheels, was launched 8212; the authorities had preferred to shelve it till a more 8220;appropriate8221; time.

The Orient Express, which transverses Rajasthan and Gujarat once a fortnight, covering such historical places as Chhitorgarh, Udaipur, Jaipur, Veraval and Palitana before ending up in Ahmedabad, was supposed to give a fillip to tourism in the State. However, unlike its role-model, the luxury train found the going rather tough. Tourism and railway officials in Ahmedabad and Vadodara both attribute the poor response to the train to ineffective marketing.

To counter that disappointment, the Railway Board has suggested that a superfast train be pressed into service to bring tourists directly to the Ahmedabad. Once they are in the State, government and private agencies will take over, guiding them to tourist spots all over Gujarat on luxury buses.The expenses of the package 8212; to be shared by road and rail agencies 8212; will be about Rs 20,000 less than the Rs 98,000 tourists pay on the Orient Express, and cover boarding and lodging.

8220;The Orient Express was for people who could afford to spend Rs 98,000 for a fortnight8217;s holiday8221;, says a senior Railways official. 8220;But the train failed to take off because it was not marketed the way the Palace-on-Wheels was8221;, adds an official of the Catering and Tourism department of the Railway Board. 8220;Though the facilities on both trains was the same, the Orient Express cost less.8221;

The option the Railway Board is considering will aim to give Gujarat to the foreign tourist at a more affordable rate. Comfort, however, will be compromised since the majority of travel will be on buses, though sources say halts will minimise the discomfort.

Meanwhile, tourism authorities say they will continue to try and popularise the two-year-old Orient Express. Says an official, 8220;New brochures have been designed to make people aware of the train and the facilities it provides.8221; They say they are optimistic the efforts would go a long way in making people aware of the royal treatment that awaits them on board the Orient Express.