JOY ROY CHOUDHARY - Kolkata
The new tourism minister of West Bengal, Rachhpal Singh plans to embark on a whirlwind tour of the state to identify potential tourist locations and problems plaguing the district tourism authorities. Lamenting the lack of focus on the state's tourism potential, Singh said, “The tourism department only runs lodges, and those too are in a ramshackle condition. You need to pull strings or run from pillar to post to get accommodation in these lodges. We just found out that liquor licences meant for the tourism department have been rented out to private parties. No wonder that places like Dooars, Darjeeling and the Sunderbans don’t have any facilities." He added that the tourist lodges need immediate overhauling and renovation and the State Government will soon identify and take up the job in a phased manner.
"All the districts of West Bengal have so much to offer, this has been completely ignored in the past. We are now trying to look at possibilities for development, be it Kamarpukur-Jairambati, Kalna, Furfura Sharif, Hooghly or the Plassey site. We are already working on a small Ganga river bank beautification project at Chandernagore. We are developing the place and starting a cruise. We are also planning to introduce sea sports in Digha,” said Singh. On Sunderbans, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Singh promised better accommodation, river cruise, sea sports and safaris into the core areas of the Sunderbans. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, on the sidelines of a tourism expo held in Kolkata, he said, "We have drawn up a road-map on the lines of the vision of the chief minister, to transform Darjeeling into Switzerland, Kolkata into London and Digha into Goa.” Singh said. He added that they are in the talks with several consultants and experts to get their opinion on how to promote tourism in the state. He, however, declined to elaborate on this at the current stage.
The former IPS officer said that the state government plans to market Kolkata as a 'Heritage city' with its several heritage buildings. “Inspite of being an old city, only six buildings are identified as Heritage Buildings by ASI in the city, whereas the number is 118 in Mumbai and 44 in Ahmedabad. We will soon approach the ASI with a proposal to restore and acquire several heritage buildings located in the state."
He also informed that soon an upgraded website will be unveiled that will help travellers with information apart from letting them make online reservations of the lodges and buy tickets. The state government will soon start a series of marketing initiatives to promote West Bengal at the national and international arena.
Source: http://www.expresstravelworld.com/201107/market02.shtml
The new tourism minister of West Bengal, Rachhpal Singh plans to embark on a whirlwind tour of the state to identify potential tourist locations and problems plaguing the district tourism authorities. Lamenting the lack of focus on the state's tourism potential, Singh said, “The tourism department only runs lodges, and those too are in a ramshackle condition. You need to pull strings or run from pillar to post to get accommodation in these lodges. We just found out that liquor licences meant for the tourism department have been rented out to private parties. No wonder that places like Dooars, Darjeeling and the Sunderbans don’t have any facilities." He added that the tourist lodges need immediate overhauling and renovation and the State Government will soon identify and take up the job in a phased manner.
"All the districts of West Bengal have so much to offer, this has been completely ignored in the past. We are now trying to look at possibilities for development, be it Kamarpukur-Jairambati, Kalna, Furfura Sharif, Hooghly or the Plassey site. We are already working on a small Ganga river bank beautification project at Chandernagore. We are developing the place and starting a cruise. We are also planning to introduce sea sports in Digha,” said Singh. On Sunderbans, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Singh promised better accommodation, river cruise, sea sports and safaris into the core areas of the Sunderbans. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, on the sidelines of a tourism expo held in Kolkata, he said, "We have drawn up a road-map on the lines of the vision of the chief minister, to transform Darjeeling into Switzerland, Kolkata into London and Digha into Goa.” Singh said. He added that they are in the talks with several consultants and experts to get their opinion on how to promote tourism in the state. He, however, declined to elaborate on this at the current stage.
The former IPS officer said that the state government plans to market Kolkata as a 'Heritage city' with its several heritage buildings. “Inspite of being an old city, only six buildings are identified as Heritage Buildings by ASI in the city, whereas the number is 118 in Mumbai and 44 in Ahmedabad. We will soon approach the ASI with a proposal to restore and acquire several heritage buildings located in the state."
He also informed that soon an upgraded website will be unveiled that will help travellers with information apart from letting them make online reservations of the lodges and buy tickets. The state government will soon start a series of marketing initiatives to promote West Bengal at the national and international arena.
Source: http://www.expresstravelworld.com/201107/market02.shtml