‘Bengal Safari Park likely to record Rs 7 cr revenue in FY24’
Siliguri: The Bengal Safari Park is all set to create another record in the coming tourist season. The Forest department of Government of West Bengal is hopeful that the number of visitors to the park will break all past records in the current financial year with a projected revenue of Rs 7 crore.
The park authorities have already started bringing in new animals to attract more visitors. New animals, including one Western Hoolock Gibbon and a leopard named Krishna, have been brought to the park.
Birbaha Hansda, the minister-in-charge of the department visited the park on Sunday. After the visit, the minister said: “The park is developing day by day. The number of visitors is also increasing. We are hopeful that we will break all past records in the current financial year.”
From April to November this year, more than 2 lakh visitors visited the park. The revenue generated has been more than Rs 5 crore so far. Last year, only 80,000 visitors visited the park in the first eight months. By the end of the year, the number of visitors had increased to 3.5 lakh. The park earned about Rs 5 crore 67 lakh last year. The park authorities estimate that they will earn Rs 7 crore in this financial year.
The minister inaugurated an Adventure Sports complex, new animal enclosures and e-cycling on Sunday. Saurabh Chaudhury, Member Secretary, West Bengal Zoo Authority said: “Currently, along with tourists, a huge number of students are visiting the park. Last month 6000 students visited the park from different schools and colleges. New animals, including cubs of Himalayan Black Bear, Royal Bengal Tiger will be released for the visitors within January 15 to 20, 2024. We already got the approval from the Central Zoo of Authority to bring lions. Lions will be brought to the park
within January.”
The park will open daily from December 20 to the first week of March.