With the prime focus on ‘Tea Tourism’ this year, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) has invited tenders from hospitality giants in India to establish hotels and resorts in North Bengal on a public private partnership (PPP) basis. WBTDC has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India Ltd (MHRIL) and Sunderban Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDC).
According to the MoU, MHRIL will set up hospitality projects in North Bengal’s identified Tea Tourism Circuit and the Sunderbans. On the potential of tourism and hospitality units in North Bengal, TVN Rao, Managing Director, WBTDC, says, “The seven selected destinations like Malbazar, Murti, Hilla, Mohua, Samsing, Nagrakata and Batabari have already been sanctioned an amount of Rs 7.12 crore (which is expected to be hiked in the state budget this year). The plan to develop hospitality projects area-wise has already been chalked out. We will call the Expression of Interest (EOI), as per that. We will begin with Malbazar, where MHRIL will commission projects. With a total investment of approximately Rs 200 crore, MHRIL also has plans for two more projects — one on North Bengal’s Dooars circuit (not a part of tea tourism) and another on the state’s coastal line.”
WBTDC expects tea tourism to be an information-cum-entertainment project. Hence it has started to encourage reputed chains to accordingly plan their projects. WBTDC plans to develop an Information-cum-Tourist Amenities Centre in Samsing with a high-end Tea Interpretation Centre, which showcases the tea industry’s evolution. “We are in talks with some of the reputed hotel chains in India to develop these facilities within the project,” adds Rao.
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