Kolkata, Nov 20 (IANS) In a bid to promote tourism during the festive season of Christmas and New Year, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has come out with special tour packages, including one from Howrah to the sea resort of Puri Dec 24.

"Puri has been given the special attraction among various other tourist places such as Gangtok, Shillong, Goa because the people out here seem to prefer Puri a lot. Also during this time the trains to Puri are overbooked," IRCTC Group General Manager Amlan Kumar Biswas told mediapersons here.

The Full Tariff Rake (FTR) will have accommodation for 800 tourists and will be a four day tour covering Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Konarak and and Nandankanan.

The cost of the package, which starts from Rs.5,860 per individual, would include train fare, hotel accommodation, food and visiting special tourist places by bus.

"The revenue collected last year from Howrah to Puri was Rs.one crore and eighty lakh. This year, the amount is already Rs.three crore and thirty four lakh.

"IRCTC will ensure security personnel, dedicated house keeping staff, medical emergency facility, trained tour escort and special attention from the local administration. Also accident insurance cover will be provided to each tourist." said Biswas.

The other tour packages are Vizag (five nights, six days), Agartala (three nights, four days), Goa (six nights, seven days) and Gangtok (five nights, six days).