Tourism carnival boon for returnees - Livelihood scope for former migrant workers

Football star Bhaichung Bhutia at one of the sites of the tourism carnival: Telegraph Picture

Binita Paul   |   TT   |   Siliguri   |   28.01.21: A 10-day tourism carnival hosted across various locations of north Bengal to promote rural destinations and homestay accommodations has come as a boon for many youths from these places who had been migrant workers before the Covid-induced lockdown to explore new earning opportunities from their homes.

The event named “Travelling Carnival” was organised by the Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT) in collaboration with the Union tourism ministry to improve rural and cultural tourism in the state.

The ministry, sources said, launched a campaign “Incredible India, weekend gateway” and intends to promote new and smaller destinations which most of the tourists are preferring to visit in the new normal instead of clustering at popular destinations like before.

“The idea is to enhance rural tourism. With this carnival, we have highlighted a series of attractions that tourists can enjoy during their stay. Among these include local agricultural practices, cuisine, culture and architecture,” said Raj Basu, the convener of the ACT. “We want to encourage tourists to join different local activities instead of simply viewing a place and its activities from a comfortable distance. This includes getting to know the people who live there, sharing meals, learning the language, or perhaps lending a hand at a farm,” added Basu.

Local attractions on display at Rimbick of Darjeeling district: Telegraph picture

According to sources, the carnival had started on January 14 and continued till January 24 across different locations such as Rajabhatkhawa in the Dooars, Bungkulung, 12th Mile, Lolegaon, Takdah, Rimbick, Meghetar, Sonada and Mungpoo in the hills.

At the carnival, attendees included people from other states and even from countries such as Brazil and the UK. Artists, poets, rural tourism experts and villagers — including those who had been migrant workers before the pandemic but now back home — joined the carnival at different locations.

At each location, experts elaborated before the local residents about the potential of their place and how rural tourism activities can boost the economy and create alternative earning opportunities for them.

It was during the carnival that the organisers found the former migrant labourers — local youths who had come back other states or even abroad in 2020 to try and make a living — very enthusiastic about the potential of tourism.

“Many of them approached us inquiring whether they can start homestays or other facilities so that they no longer need to go out and can make a living sitting at their homes. In fact, some of them even said that the possibilities highlighted during the carnival indicated that they could earn more from home. It is good that along with the promotion of offbeat destinations, it has also encouraged former migrant workers,” Basu said.

(https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/tourism-carnival-boon-for-returnees/cid/1804939)