Kolkata: The Bengal govt is looking to attract fresh investments in the hospitality sector by offering nearly 17 acres of land across key tourism destinations, including Gajoldoba, Jharkhali, Siliguri and Salt Lake, to prospective investors.The state tourism dept held a stakeholders’ meeting with leading private hospitality players on Thursday to discuss investment opportunities and the development potential of these locations. Among the key proposals is 7.5 acres at Gajoldoba for developing a leisure destination featuring hotels and banquet facilities. The govt is also offering 5 acres at Jharkhali for an eco-luxury star hotel aimed at supporting the development of the Sundarbans as a global tourism destination.Another 3-acre plot at Siliguri, strategically located near the highway and Bagdogra airport, has been identified for hospitality development. The 1.2-acre Udayachal tourism property in Salt Lake has been earmarked for a minimum four-star premium hotel.Officials also sought feedback from stakeholders on the future development of the Digha-Mandarmani tourism belt and its hospitality potential. Govt officials said the state was offering land, policy support and investment opportunities, while private hospitality players were expected to bring investment capacity, design expertise, marketing capabilities, operational experience, destination creation skills and sustainability practices.The meeting also discussed the govt’s proposed new industrial incentive policy, with focus on land, power, incentives, employment generation, infrastructure and connectivity. The govt is also planning more than 1,000 tourist amenities across the state. “The govt’s ideation of 1000 plus tourist amenities should be planned based on the requirements and convenience of visitors rather than limited to specific tourist destinations ensuring a more comprehensive and balanced visitor centric approach to tourism infrastructure development,” said a govt official.
