Kolkata, India: West Bengal Minister Babul Supriyo, during a programme of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India in Kolkata, said the state government was holding talks with various industries to boost tourism in the state, particularly during the Durga Puja celebrations.
The Minister added, “We have to improve this as we have the potential. UNESCO has included Kolkata’s Durga Puja on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. We are trying to utilise this to try and do something around the festival. We would appeal to the hotel and restaurant industry to come up with 10- or 15-day tour packages during Durga Puja. They may also offer similar packages during Gangasagar Mela. This would definitely give thrust to the tourism sector”.
“A trip to Sundarbans will also be added to the package,” he said.
The minister claimed that Bengal is “fifth in the country with regard to the flow of domestic tourists and seventh in terms of international tourist footfall”.
