New Delhi, Oct. 30 -- West Bengal is aiming to position itself as a top domestic and foreign tourism destination with the help of aggressive branding initiatives, tourism infrastructure development, and enhanced security with the help of technology over the next five years, West Bengal Tourism minister Shankar Ghosh told Millennium Post here.
According to Ghosh, the state government wants to focus sector-wise. The two prime goals of the tourism policy of the state are employment and revenue generation.
"We have put together a vision document detailing the tasks that are to be done, and our strategies are being formulated accordingly," the minister said.
Stressing the need for establishing a brand image of Bengal as a tourism destination beyond its own borders, Ghosh pointed out that the government was bringing together various players and taking part in national and international tourism exhibitions. "The idea," he added, "is to bring the state's beauty and rich tourist attractions to the world."
"We intend to highlight the charms of Bengal around the world. We are optimistic that Bengal will turn out to be one of the most desirable tourist destinations of tourism in the coming years," he said.
Outlining the plan of action for the next five years, the minister cited five key areas, including the promotion of the tourist attractions of Bengal globally, infrastructural development, safety of tourists, and use of technology in the field of tourism. He said that the government intended to create a more tourist-friendly atmosphere while keeping pace with the infrastructure needs."
Commenting on the proposal to invest some Rs 12,000 crore in the tourism sector, the minister said a major part of this would come from the hotel and hospitality sector. While noting that increasing investment in the sector was an indication of anticipated growth in the number of tourists, he also said that there was a lack of hotels, resorts, and other facilities for the tourists in the state at present.
"The gap between the current infrastructure and the requirements in case of increased tourism can be bridged through the investment being made by the investors in the hospitality sector," he said.
Ghosh further highlighted the government's plan to strengthen religious and heritage tourism by developing dedicated circuits connecting prominent destinations across districts. Bengal, he noted, has several important religious sites, including Shakti Peethas, which have the potential to attract pilgrims and tourists from across the country.
He also underlined that the state government had already prepared a religious tourism circuit, while district administrations were working on preparing Detailed Project Reports to identify and develop tourism destinations. Once the exercise is completed, the sites would be connected through integrated circuits and promoted in tourism markets.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.