Priority to developing tourism infrastructure

Help of the information technology would be taken to provide tourists with the latest information and booking facilities, he said adding the PPP model would be adopted to implement various projects and for a turn-around in the loss-making areas of the sector.

"If private resorts can make profit, why won't it be possible in government guest houses ? We need to be more professional for effective management," Chowdhury, who assumed office yesterday, said.

He said there was tremendous potential for growth of tourism in West Bengal and proper planning with adequate infrastructure could help in attracting more foreign tourists.

Local tourist guides would be trained in modern methods to efficiently handle tourists.

Tourism in the state had been lagging far behind since the days of the erstwhile Left Front government, he said adding he would work to develop it keeping in mind the vision of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.