In an attempt to draw more foreign and domestic tourist, the West Bengal government recently launched a month-long intensive promotional campaign in New Delhi. The campaign ‘Chalo Chalen Bengal’ (Let’s Visit Bengal) was launched by Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, Minister-in-Charge Tourism, Government of West Bengal. Vikram Sen, Principal Secretary (Tourism), Govt. of West Bengal; Bhishmadeb Dasgupta, Managing Director, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation, dignitaries from various Embassy and High Commissions in Delhi and representative from the travel and tourism industry were present on the occasion. As part of the campaign, high-quality advertisement panels depicting premier tourist attractions of the State were displayed in 15 bus shelters across Delhi, apart from the New Delhi International airport and key railway stations. The Minister also inaugurated a new state-of-the-art tourism information centre and a photo exhibition on the occasion. West Bengal is currently ranked among the top 10 states in terms of domestic arrivals and in terms of foreign tourist arrivals.
Speaking on the occasion, Choudhury said that the state government has identified tourism as a priority sector. “Allocation made by the State Government for tourism was Rs 38 crores in 2011-2012 which was increased to Rs 90 crores in 2012-2013. In the current fiscal year, Bengal has earmarked an amount of Rs 120 crores, leading to a 33 per cent increase in the tourism budget as compared to last year,” the Minister said and added that the current government has been putting all efforts to bring qualitative and quantitative changes in the tourism industry in the state. He informed that the government has chalked out a phase-wise strategy to position the state as one of the sought after destination in the country.
Divulging information on infrastructure development, Sen said that the state government has created tourist destinations in unexplored areas and developed infrastructure in those areas through public private partnership (PPP). “The West Bengal government has moved forward through the PPP Mode with projects on offer to the tune of Rs 3,700 crores, including Gajoldoba Tourism Hub, The Kolkata Giant Wheel, Sylee Tea Tourism Hub, Kunjanagar Nature and Adventure Park and Eco-Tourism in Jhadkhali, Sundarbans,” Sen said. According to him, the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Gajoldoba Tourism Hub has already been floated. The proposed Hub, to be built on 208-acre of land close to the Teesta River Barrage and Mahananda forest, envisages two big hotels, four budget hotels, health spa, Hotel Management & Catering Institute, recreation centre, and nine-hole golf course, he informed.
Apart from these, the state tourism ministry is also inviting private investment for four big hotel projects in destinations like Datura in Darjeeling, Baluka Bheel, Digha, and Salt Lake in Kolkata. The RFP for these will be expected to be floated next month, Sen said. Moreover, the West Bengal government has decided to convert four heritage structures – Jhargram, Mahishadal, Panchkat and Wazil Manzil into heritage hotels with the help of private investors.
The state government also plans to come up with another international airport at Durgapur which will connect tourists to northern part of the state, he said and added that there is a proposal to start night flights from Bagdogra airport. According to him, Kolkata can be developed as an air hub between East and South East Asia due to its strategic location. “Currently, seven foreign airlines are flying from Kolkata and we are looking at more airlines launching their operations from Kolkata,” the Secretary opined.
