JOY ROY CHOUDHURY - Kolkata
The Kolkata based Travel Agents' Association of Bengal (TAAB) in a letter to Mamata Banerjee, chief minister, West Bengal has welcomed the state government's initiative towards overall tourism development in the state especially places like Kolkata, Darjeeling, Dooars, Digha and Sunderbans to attract more number of domestic and foreign tourists.
In a letter written by Amalendu Mookerjee, president, TAAB, on behalf of the association has suggested some measures to make plans foolproof. Elaborating on the contents of the letter to Express TravelWorld, Mookerjee said, “We have suggested to the state government to reassess the geological status of stability of the Digha coast in consultation with Geological Survey of India (GSI). In the letter TAAB has also asked the government to consider directing its investment to development of infrastructure, like building or improving roads from the main highways to tourism centres, building of common internal roads, ensuring adequate supply of water and power, laying of parks, gardens, common spaces, planting of trees on common spaces, etc.
The central government funding also should not be restricted to schemes like building of tourist lodges, but should be directed to development of infrastructure. Investment for building of new hotels and resorts may be left to the private sector. Also maintenance, improvement, upgradation and extension of the existing government tourist lodges should be attended to TAAB has also asked for more flexibility of central government's plan funds so that it can also be used in maintenance of tourism infrastructural assets like hotels, lodges, etc.
At present, the central government's plan funds are not allowed to be used for maintenance of tourism assets. It also pointed out that master plans prepared for development of tourist spots should also specify the maximum number of hotels of different categories that should be allowed at a tourist centre. This is because in some locations several illegal constructions have mushroomed overshooting the stipulated norms as is the case in Mandarmoni, the beach resort in South Bengal.
To cope with the increasing influx of tourists at different tourist centres, more satellite centres should be build and this provision should be inbuilt in the master-plans.
The state government should fulfil its essential regulatory role that has been neglected so far. Non-star hotels should be mandatory categorised according to different standards, and regularly inspected, so that visitors may know what facilities they can legitimately expect at a particular hotel. This, if properly planned and executed, would be a great facility to tourists and would render tourist traffic smooth. Regarding marketing of government tourist lodges, the present unreasonable restrictions should be done away with, and booking facilities should be opened to all bonafide travel agencies offering to pay full advance. The quantum of incentive to travel agents should be reasonable.
These steps would increase bookings at tourist lodges, and certain state governments like the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation are already following these practices.
Source: http://www.expresstravelworld.com/201203/market01.shtml
The Kolkata based Travel Agents' Association of Bengal (TAAB) in a letter to Mamata Banerjee, chief minister, West Bengal has welcomed the state government's initiative towards overall tourism development in the state especially places like Kolkata, Darjeeling, Dooars, Digha and Sunderbans to attract more number of domestic and foreign tourists.
In a letter written by Amalendu Mookerjee, president, TAAB, on behalf of the association has suggested some measures to make plans foolproof. Elaborating on the contents of the letter to Express TravelWorld, Mookerjee said, “We have suggested to the state government to reassess the geological status of stability of the Digha coast in consultation with Geological Survey of India (GSI). In the letter TAAB has also asked the government to consider directing its investment to development of infrastructure, like building or improving roads from the main highways to tourism centres, building of common internal roads, ensuring adequate supply of water and power, laying of parks, gardens, common spaces, planting of trees on common spaces, etc.
The central government funding also should not be restricted to schemes like building of tourist lodges, but should be directed to development of infrastructure. Investment for building of new hotels and resorts may be left to the private sector. Also maintenance, improvement, upgradation and extension of the existing government tourist lodges should be attended to TAAB has also asked for more flexibility of central government's plan funds so that it can also be used in maintenance of tourism infrastructural assets like hotels, lodges, etc.
At present, the central government's plan funds are not allowed to be used for maintenance of tourism assets. It also pointed out that master plans prepared for development of tourist spots should also specify the maximum number of hotels of different categories that should be allowed at a tourist centre. This is because in some locations several illegal constructions have mushroomed overshooting the stipulated norms as is the case in Mandarmoni, the beach resort in South Bengal.
To cope with the increasing influx of tourists at different tourist centres, more satellite centres should be build and this provision should be inbuilt in the master-plans.
The state government should fulfil its essential regulatory role that has been neglected so far. Non-star hotels should be mandatory categorised according to different standards, and regularly inspected, so that visitors may know what facilities they can legitimately expect at a particular hotel. This, if properly planned and executed, would be a great facility to tourists and would render tourist traffic smooth. Regarding marketing of government tourist lodges, the present unreasonable restrictions should be done away with, and booking facilities should be opened to all bonafide travel agencies offering to pay full advance. The quantum of incentive to travel agents should be reasonable.
These steps would increase bookings at tourist lodges, and certain state governments like the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation are already following these practices.
Source: http://www.expresstravelworld.com/201203/market01.shtml