Community involvement in tourism sector important for its growth: Shringla

Suggesting that tea plantations in West Bengal have the potential to become tourism hotspots, India's G20 coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday that community involvement in the tourism process is significant for its growth.

Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the second G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting here, Shringla also said that on the first day of the conference a lot of discussions were held on the states that are vulnerable to climate change such as Uttarakhand.

"We had a lot of discussions on the issue of sustainable tourism and involving local communities...," he said.

Shringla suggested that tea plantations in the area have the potential of becoming tourism hotspots and community participation in the tourism process is significant for its growth.

"The tea industry, I think, provides sustainability because biodiversity is very important for the tea industry. And I think that conservation is important in this part of the country," he added.

The 2nd Tourism Working Group Meeting is being held in Darjeeling and Siliguri from April 1 to 3.

The meeting is being attended by more than 130 participants, including delegates of G20 members, invitee countries and international organisations, industry partners, state tourism officials and local tour operators.