West Bengal Tourism Department Plans Digital and Infrastructure Reforms

PTI, June 15, 2026, Siliguri: The West Bengal Tourism Department is planning a major digital and structural overhaul over the next six months, focusing on real-time data for travellers, sustainable development, and public-private partnerships.

Speaking to newspersons on Monday after formally taking charge of the West Bengal Tourism Department at the Mainak Tourist Lodge in Siliguri, newly appointed Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh outlined a comprehensive roadmap aimed at modernising the tourism infrastructure of West Bengal while preserving the fragile ecology of the state.

In a move that could significantly streamline travel planning, the state is evaluating a proposal to launch a centralised, real-time online platform tracking hotel bookings and room availability across all major tourist hubs.

"If tourists can access complete information online before booking accommodation at a destination, it will greatly benefit them," Minister Ghosh said, adding that the platform would provide year-round updates on room availability and accommodation details.

"Discussions will be held with stakeholders and concerned authorities to make it a reality."

The Minister addressed growing environmental anxieties, particularly in north Bengal, admitting that unregulated tourism and illegal mining had taken a heavy toll on the ecological balance of the region.

Ghosh pledged that all future tourism projects would be strictly designed around sustainable models to ensure economic growth did not come at the cost of environmental conservation.

To ensure stability in the primary travel corridor in north Bengal, the government planned to implement measures to safeguard visitors from the recurring socio-political divide between the hills and the plains.

To map out the execution of these initiatives, a high-level departmental meeting has been scheduled for June 17.

The state plans to heavily leverage Public-Private Partnership models to fund and strengthen infrastructure.

Additionally, the department will engage active tourism researchers and study highly successful tourism models from other states to adopt the best national practices.