Indian tea tourism helps spread Darjeeling aroma

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

KURSEONG, India (AFP) — Touring tea gardens in India's famous Darjeeling hills and tasting several varieties of the gold-coloured brew has got Audrey Dreyer thinking about a career in the trade.

Dreyer, from France, is among a growing number of tourists wanting to experience life on the estates in the famous tea-growing region to learn about some of the world's most coveted varieties.

As part of a new push to promote their brands worldwide and after having trained tourists for no charge in recent years, many estates are now offering specialised live-in training courses on the plantations for a fee.

The privately owned Lochan Tea Limited company is one of those, where students undertake a three-month course in international tea trading.

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