Siliguri, Dec. 22: Tourism in north Bengal will soon get a local flavour.

The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC), in association with private agencies, has chalked out plans to train local villagers in the nitty-gritty of tourism. Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, already being promoted by the forest department, has been chosen for the experiment.

“At a recent meeting with representatives of the forest department and private tour operators of the region, it was decided that local villagers would be trained to give tourism a lift in the region. They would be taught the basics on how to handle tourists in the area,” said Subrata Sengupta, operational manager (north), WBTDC.

“We were asked by the forest officials to try and hone communication skills of the local residents, who are extremely shy by nature. We need to tell them the kind of queries they should expect from the outsiders and how to answer them,” he added.

“This will be a service-oriented training. The local residents know the region, its peculiarities, its culture and its specialities. A guide helps tourists know the place better and get a feel of the beauty. In a region dominated by wildlife wealth, such people can give you details of the flora and fauna. They know the corners from which you will best view the one-horned rhino or an elephant herd or even the unruly beauty of the forests and the river that runs alongside it,” said Samrat Sanyal, general secretary of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association.

“For example, people who are associated with tea estates will be better able to guide tourists interested in touring tea gardens,” said Sanyal.

The involvement of the local people will also help maintain the beauty of the place, indirectly promoting eco-tourism, he added. The idea is to give the tourists a feel of the place and yet preserve the beauty for generations to see, he said.

“This will also provide alternate employment avenues and lessen the chances of illegal felling of timber,” said Sengupta.

The move will have a twin-pronged effect — youths will gain financial independence and the tourists the best of the place, he added.