Siliguri, Sept. 21: To give a new look to the local tourism industry, West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) has taken to decentralisation.

For the first time, it has introduced tour packages starting from and ending in Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar. The new packages will be introduced from the coming puja season.

“Generally, it is the big places like Calcutta or Siliguri that have been acting as transit points for tourists. So this time we thought why not select Dooars and other sites so that we can involve residents of those areas in the industry,” said operational manager (north) of WBTDC Subrata Sengupta.

The two new packages, of four-days-and-three-night duration each, will cover most of the spots in the Dooars region. Glimpses of Eastern Dooars will start from Cooch Behar and pass through Alipurduar, Jayanti, Rajabhatkhawa, Jaigaon, Phuentsholing, Khairbari leopard rescue centre, Madarihaat, Chilapota forest and Baneshwar before coming back to Cooch Behar.

The other package — Glimpses of Western Dooars — will originate from Jalpaiguri, and cover Jalpesh, Khoksia Park (Mainaguri), Lataguri, Gorumara Wildlife Sanctuary, Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Jhallong, Samsing, Suntalekhola, Mal, Kalijhora and Siliguri before ending in Jalpaiguri.

Both the tour packages costing Rs 2,300, per head will include accommodation, food, transportation and sightseeing.

The new circuits are expected to have a significant effect on the local tourism economy, Sengupta said.

“These small towns, will be able to reap the benefits, which otherwise is taken away by the major transit points. The local people will see some money flowing in. There will also be a lot of tourism awareness and substantial local economic development,” he added.

The most significant impact expected of these packages is that the residents of the areas will be propelled towards undertaking these tours.

“Despite being residents of these zones, many people have not visited any local tourist spots because of the inconveniences they have to face while organising such tours on their own. These new packages will make the trips hassle-free. Besides, they will be available in their own towns and so will give a boost to weekend tourism,” Sengupta said.

The local tour operators, however, are not willing to buy the theory. “A concept like this can succeed only if there is proper infrastructure, which in theses cases are absent,” said Raj Basu, executive president of East Himalayan Travel and Tour Operators Association.

“It will not be a feasible idea, for tourists from outside who want go on that route will avail of the package from Siliguri, which is the biggest transit point in north Bengal. The idea of roping in local tourists is also not very striking since very few people of the area are willing to go on a package tour. Most of them have their own contacts and would like to travel on their own,” Basu added.