TravTalk India Online Magazine
R Arjun, Managing Director, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation reveals how the state has developed 65 new packages to glorify attractions and is doubling up religious tourism to attract tourists with different interests.
Suhani Sood
With an aim to make West Bengal a preferred tourist and investment destinations, the state government is enhancing infrastructure, connectivity, and promoting integrated tourism constantly. Durga Puja festivities give an altogether different colour to the state’s tourism activities. Emphasizing on the importance of the festival, R Arjun, Managing Director, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation, said that Durga Puja was declared as an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ by UNESCO in 2021. “As a result of that grant, the state has generated a lot of excitement and attracted flocks of tourists to the state during the festivities. We also have rolled out three new packages for visiting Durga Pandals,” Arjun said. “The state is also revamping historically important places like Kolkata, Hoogly, Darjeeling, and Siliguri, which are already famous, but need integrated tourism,” he added.
Diamond sponsor for next IATO
Arjun attended the recent IATO Annual Convention for the first time. Sharing his experience at the event, he said, “All the arrangements from inaugural function to panel discussions, from travel mart to warming hospitality, were excellent. West Bengal also had a stall in the trade mart and we were amazed by the questions we received for Kolkata, Darjeeling, Siliguri and unexplored destinations as well.” He said West Bengal will be diamond sponsor for the next IATO convention.
Travel trade
About their offerings, he said, “We will be introducing tourist packages on the lines of 2-days, 1-night/ 3-day 2-night. Sunderban packages, Jhargram tourist package, as it is surrounded by forests, nature and splendid destinations. We also have hill tourism in a big way like Darjeeling and Siliguri. We will send these packages to all travel agents.”
Religious tourists double up
Arjun said, “We have developed 65 tour packages to cover and glorify important attractions in WB. We have doubled up religious tourism, covering various genres, Buddhist, Hindu temples like Kalighat Kali Temple, Dakshineshwar Kali Temple, and Belur Math.”
Integrated tourism
The state is focusing on different tourism products like nature based tourism (Sunderbans Delta, tea plantations, coastline tourism, mountain tourism, and river tourism), cultural tourism (festival tourism, cuisine tourism, film tourism, rural tourism, heritage tourism, religious tourism), and contemporary tourism (shopping tourism, convention tourism, leisure and amusement parks tourism, medical tourism, rail tourism, sports tourism, and special tourism zones) to remain competitive.
