‘Focus on developing Kalimpong as sustainable tourism destination’

District administration and tourism stakeholders all set to add more muscle to brand ‘Ramailo Kaleybung’

DARJEELING: The district administration along with tourism stakeholders are all set to add more muscle to the brand “Ramailo Kaleybung” (Amusing Kalimpong.) A tourism review meeting was held by the district administration along with various stakeholders in Kalimpong for this.

Incidentally Tourism is being promoted under the brand “Ramailo Kaleybung” by the district administration and other tourism stakeholders.

“Discussions were held on different issues pertaining to tourism. With Kalimpong district having the highest number of home stays in the State, many trek routes have come up with the home stays providing guides for these treks. We have decided to add a module for training trek guides.” stated R Vimala, District Magistrate, Kalimpong talking to the Millennium Post.

BDOs are collecting names of all interested persons and training will be conducted soon. The training will be provided by the technical education department of the State Government.

Village tourism has become very popular in the district. “We want to ensure that the villages are clean and green. We have earmarked some villages which will be turned into zero waste villages. These villages will attract more tourists and in turn encourage other villages to follow suit” added the DM.

The villages earmarked for this include Parentar, Reshap, Kolakham, Icchey and Nokdanra. Reverse vending machines will be installed in prominent tourist points in the Kalimpong district.

Important heritage sites are being renovated. A welcome gate will also come up Rangpo on the Sikkim Bengal border. A tourist kiosk will come up at the Mela Ground in Kalimpong along with a tourist lodge and tourism complex at Delo by the West Bengal Government.

“Emphasis is being given on developing Kalimpong as a sustainable tourism destination. We are also working towards a plan whereby a tourist will increase the number of stay days in Kalimpong. With village tourism thriving, stringent quality cross checking is being done” stated Samrat Sanyal, General Secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN.) There are 1035 home stays in the district at present. The already existing mobile tourism app of the district will be further upgraded and promoted at the national level. A separate social media campaign will also be launched to promote the brand “Ramailo Kaleybung.”