Bengal to come out with Covid guidelines for tourism in next few days: Babul Supriyo

Darjeeling: The surge in Covid cases in many countries has emerged as a matter of concern especially at the time when the region is brimming with tourists. The Government of West Bengal will be publishing Covid guidelines for tourism in the next two day.

"In the past we have seen that tourism and tourist spots are always the worst affected by Covid. From today masks have to be worn in airports. In the next two or three days we will be publishing specific Covid guidelines for travel and tourism," stated Babul Supriyo, Minister of Tourism, Government of West Bengal.

The Minister was in Gajoldoba in Jalpaiguri on Friday. There he visited "Bhorer Alo," labeled as the largest integrated tourism project in the country, a dream project of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "We should not take Covid very lightly as in the past we have seen the devastation it has wrecked. However, if we follow protocols and guidelines, everything will be fine," added Supriyo.

With the festive season there is a rush of tourists to the Darjeeling Hills and Dooars. "80 per cent to 90 per cent rooms in hotels are sold out. The only problem is that this tourist season is very short. There is a rush from 23 December to 5 January," stated Samrat Sanyal, General Secretary, Himalayan Hospital and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN.)

HHTDN members met the Tourism Minister on Friday at Gajoldoba. The team handed over a list of proposals regarding tourism to the Minister. "This was our first meeting with Minister Babul Supriyo. We put forward proposals of infrastructure development and developing new tourist spots and destinations to facilitate tourism. The minister gave us a patient hearing and assured us to take things forward. A team of tourism stakeholders will meet him shortly in Kolkata," added Sanyal.