West Bengal budget 2017-18: State bets big on tourism

“The inflow of tourists is increasing every year. That is why the state needs to draw an aggressive campaign plan to attract more tourists and compete with other states,” said Samrat Sanyal, the executive president of the Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators’ Association.

Earlier, the state government had launched a website — http://www.bengalweekend.com — that listed 44 such places across 20 districts of the state and plans to add more destinations soon. State Tourism Minister Gautam Deb said, “Tourists inclined to visit our state for a short period may find this website interesting and helpful. It will add value to tourism-related facilities and increase interest of tourists to visit these places.”

In particular, Deb and his ministry have been emphasising on on homestay and community development in different parts of the state, after such efforts reaped rich dividends for both the tourists and local people in the forests of Dooars in the foothills of Himalayas and in different unknown destinations of the Darjeeling Hills.

The ambitious ‘Homestay Policy’ also aims to boost the state’s micro and small entrepreneurs (MSEs) by engaging the local work force, while facilitating middle class tourism in the state’s tourism hotspots said officials.

According to officials, tourism – the state hopes – will prove to be a double boon for Bengal. “On one hand, we will get much needed revenue. Particularly, with our targetting of foreign tourists, who already come to Kolkata, but rarely venture out into the districts. Secondly, this will give employment opportunities for many small-scale entrepreneurs.”