Alipurduar plans to develop tourism village in district

Alipurduar: The district administration in Alipurduar is gearing up to organise a special training programme for individuals from the tourism industry as part of the West Bengal Tourism Service Capacity Building scheme initiated by the state government.

The district administration is actively pursuing the concept of a tourism village in the district to enhance its overall appeal as a tourist destination.

In this regard, the administration will provide encouragement and advice to those directly involved in tourism activities in Buxa Hills, jungles and tea plantations and in villages inhabited by indigenous people. A comprehensive publicity campaign will also be conducted to

promote Alipurduar.

District Magistrate R Vimala convened a meeting at the Dooars Kanya district administrative building on Wednesday, addressing this issue. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Director of the North Bengal department of State Tourism, representatives of the Forest department, along with representatives of Alipurduar district tourism-related organisations.

“Training arrangements will be made for those associated with tourism. We have also proposed the idea of a tourist village. Furthermore, lesser-known tourist centres in Alipurduar district will be promoted, with an increased focus on maintaining cleanliness at each tourist centre,” stated the DM.

According to tourism industry sources, the administration has already recognised 51 new homestays in the district. The majority of tourist attractions in Alipurduar district are located in the forest area, with various indigenous tribes, each having distinct social customs and cultures. Various tribal cultures can be witnessed in villages of Buxa Hill, Totopara, Chilapata, Jaldapara and Rajabhatkhawa. Tourists will be more enthusiastic about a particular area if it develops into a tourist village, potentially increasing the number of tourists. Tamal Goswami, coordinator of Alipurduar District Tourism Association and member of the Rural Tourism Committee, said: “We had a detailed discussion with the

district administration on Wednesday, highlighting various problems. The first phase will involve training those directly associated with tourism, with plans to extend training to others, later on.”