Homestays growing at 30% CAGR, foreign tourist arrival up by 2.57%: WB govt

Homestays in West Bengal is growing at a pace of 30 per cent compound annual growth rate, a senior government official said on Monday.

The arrival of foreign tourists arrival in the state has inched up by 2.57 per cent despite the slowdown in the global economy, secretary to the state tourism department Nandini Chakravorty said.

"The state government's homestay policy encouraged the homestay sector and is growing at a CAGR of more than 30 per cent," Chkravorty said at the CII-organised Destination East.

Tourism minister Gautam Deb focused on the tourism and homestay policies and said that there are around 3000 homestays in north Bengal.

He said besides the Durga Puja festival, Basanto Utsav and Poush Mela at Shantiniketan, Gangasagar Mela at Gangasagar and Raash Mela at Cooch Bihar too attract a large number of tourists.

Chakraborty said 4000 plus star category hotels have been added in last 8 years and the state government has increased investment by more than 10 times for development of tourism in the last 8 years.