Bengal must ensure tourism remains untouched during unrests: TAFI

With pristine Darjeeling on the boil over a fresh Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) stir, travel operators on Thursday said the West Bengal government must ensure that tourists remain a priority even as the West Bengal government rushed to ease worries.

"Such political disputes should be between the government and the people and tourists should not be affected," Anil Punjabi, Chairman (eastern region) of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), told IANS.

He said Darjeeling -- due to its vantage location in the Eastern Himalayas, straddling nature reserves and Buddhist sites, as well as proximity to northeast India, Nepal and Bhutan -- draws around 600 tourists per day during summer till July.

"Around 250 to 300 tourists arrive each day via air. The rest through trains etc. This time of the year, there is a steady inflow of tourists due to school vacations. The cheap hotel fares are a huge draw," Punjabi noted.

He said many weekend travellers have postponed their travel dates till the unrest subsides while those who are planning a trip to the hills are in a dilemma.

"We have received complaints and cancellations. We would advise those who are stuck in Darjeeling to remain calm, stay indoors and wait," Punjabi said.

State Tourism Minister Gautam Deb told IANS that special buses will be launched on Friday to help ferry stranded tourists to Kolkata.

"I am going to Siliguri to oversee the situation. It is extremely unfortunate. Special buses are being launched from New Jalpaiguri station. We are also setting up tourist assistance booths," Deb said.

However, Punjabi batted for a long-term solution.

"The state government is launching buses etc. but that is not the solution. The tourists should be looked after. They are our guests and they become our ambassadors when they go back. When Thailand witnesses coups, tourism doesn't get affected. So the state government has to ensure the same in Darjeeling," Punjabi added.

--IANS

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