‘Pilgrimage tourism’ catches on

‘Pilgimage tourism’ to holy cites in West Asia is catching on fast among Indian expatriates in the Gulf states, says the Kochi-based priest who launched the tours some 12 years ago.
Fr Sleeba Kattumangattu Cor Episcopa, who was on a day’s transit while travelling home from Jordan, said yesterday that last year was perhaps the most successful for the tours.
Almost 30 groups, mostly comprising Indians, in particular from Kerala, travelled to the holy sites of West Asia in 2006, he said.
A number of these groups were from GCC states, including two from Qatar, said Fr Kattumangattu. Virtually every group had at least half-a-dozen Doha-based Indians, he added.
The tour promoter said his participation at the World Tourism and Travel Mart hosted by Qatar Airways in April 2004 had helped his Kochi-based company market the concept among the region’s Indian expatriates.
19/01/07 Ramesh Mathew/Gulf Times, Qatar

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