North Bengal tourism face setback due to polls

Alipurduar, April 9, 2006: While the tourism industry is actively promoting the forests of North Bengal as an attractive tourist destination, the administration set up in Jalpaiguri has cancelled all reservations of forest bungalows in the district. This is a set back to the tourism industry during a peak season. The Jalpaiguri district administration has instructed the forest department to cancel the reservation of bungalows by tourists in view of the accommodation required for polling officials during the election in the state.

Tour operators complain they have to refund the money to the tourists; this not only disappoints the tourists who have planned to travel and have booked the rooms two months earlier but it also brings the services of the operators in a bad light. The Hollong and Nilpara which witnesses a large influx of visitors have also suffered because of the polls.

The executive president of Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association (EHTTOA), Raj Basu, said that it is a set back to the efforts of the organisation to promote tourism in the Jalpaiguri district. He also stated that tour operators have to bear the brunt of such eventualities because they have to refund the entire money of the visitors at a short notice.

The District Magistrate of Jalpaiguri on the other hand, states his helplessness in the situation because there is no adequate facilities other than the forest lodges and resorts to accommodate the polling officials stationed in the district. It is apparent that the tourism industry will suffer every time polling is held in the district until new buildings are built to accommodate government officials.

Latest Travel News