MillenniumPost
Bengal

Public funding goes up to Rs 400 crore in 6 years

Kolkata: State secretary for Tourism and Planning, Statistics and Programme Implementation Department Manish Jain said on Thursday that public funding in the tourism sector has gone up from Rs 35 crore to Rs 400 crore in Bengal in the past six years.
Speaking at the conference on Transformational Leadership in Tourism Development, organised by the CII-Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence in the city, Jain further stated that Bengal is gifted with all the necessary elements making it a preferred destination for travellers from around the world.
"With the increase in public funding, the state has witnessed a 20 percent growth in its tourist population," he added.
He maintained that Bengal has one of the best hotel occupancy rates in the country and Kolkata has 3,000 high-end hotel rooms with a phenomenal occupancy rate of 70 percent.
"During the Durga Puja this year Bengal saw about 2,000 foreign visitors," he added.
He further stated that the state is undertaking some major tourism projects in Gajoldoba in North Bengal, Jharkhali in the Sunderbans and is also coming up with a convention centre in Digha.
"The government is partnering in initiatives like Travel East with the purpose to promote tourism in the state," he added.
Masayuki Taga, Consul General of Japan, said the number of tourists visiting Japan from India is higher than those visiting Japan from India.
"Japan is perceived as an expensive country to travel. But in reality, it is at par with other South East Asian countries and regions such as Hong Kong and Singapore," he said.
Travel East in its sixth edition is taking place in conjunction with the conference on the premise of CII-Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence featuring exhibitors from the travel and tourism industry from all across India and beyond.
Bengal is the host state while Uzbekistan is the partner country in the event.
His Excellency Fahod Arziev, Ambassador, Embassy of Republic of Uzbekistan, stated that there is an emotional tie between India and Uzbekistan as it shares common history, culture and values.
He spoke of the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the Sanghai Summit where a roadmap was created to strengthen the bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.
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