Bengal’s new initiatives for the tourism sector
The tourism sector has been badly hit by the pandemic, and so, to help it back on its feet, the Bengal government has introduced a host of initiatives, both in terms of policy and service.
On World Tourism Day today, the Bengal Tourism Department launched a revamped version of its app, called West Bengal Tourism. There is now integration of online booking facilities, Google Maps and navigation in the app.
In terms of services, one of the primary new features is that rooms in all the 34 properties belonging to West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited (WBTDCL) can now be booked three months in advance, instead of one.
Other new services that started from today include a two-day-one-night cruise-cum-tour package covering Barrackpore, Belur Math, Dakshineswar, Chandannagar, Bandel Church, Hooghly Imambara, Hangseshwari Temple and a few other places; and a two-day-three-nights package covering Jhargram, Belpahari, Kakrajhor, and natural sightseeing and museum visits in and around those places.
The state’s tourism app has already been a big hit, with downloads crossing one lakh, compared to 50,000+ for Gujarat and Uttarakhand, and 10,000+ for Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Goa, to name a few.
Policy initiatives
Major policy initiatives have also been taken in recent times to help the tourism sector, which has been amongst the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first time in 15 years that important changes have been made.
They are:
- Registration process of tour operators made simpler
- From two years, registration validity of tour operators increased to five years for experienced ones and three years for new ones
- Specialised training and certifications launched for tour guides and homestay owners
- Homestays, 565 of which have been licensed over the last two years under the state’s Homestay Policy, to be connected online for easier booking by tourists
According to a senior Tourism Department official, the tourism sector makes up as much as 11 per cent of the state’s gross domestic product (GSDP) and so—more so now, given how badly the sector has been hit by the pandemic—it is but natural for the government to think up such initiatives, which would help improve the earnings of both those involved in the sector and the state government.
And all these fit in neatly with the theme for this year’s World Tourism Day, ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’.
