10/03/2026
The Kalimpong District Tourism Welfare Society (KDTWS) participated in a one-day meeting titled “West Bengal Tourism Stakeholders Interactive Session 2026,” which was held on 10th March at the Conference Hall of Mainak Tourism Property, Siliguri. The session was organized under the theme “Shaping the Future of Tourism in West Bengal.”
The meeting was graced by several distinguished dignitaries, including Shri Barun Kumar Ray, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal; Shri Soumitra S. Sengupta, IAS, Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal; and Shri Abhishekh Kumar Tiwari, IAS, Managing Director of WBTDCL and Director of Tourism, Government of West Bengal.
The KDTWS team was headed by Dr. Norden Michael Lepcha, General Secretary, who actively participated in the discussion and addressed the gathering regarding the development of tourism and homestay initiatives in Kalimpong District. During his address, he emphasized the importance of providing various training programs for homestay owners in partnership with reliable tourism organizations in order to improve service quality and promote sustainable tourism.
He also highlighted that in the new homestay policy of the Government, leaseholders should be treated separately in comparison to self-run homestays, as their operational conditions are different. In addition, he raised the issue faced by homestay owners in the Cinchona and tea plantation areas, whose registrations are still pending due to No Objection Certificate (NOC) related problems. Because of these issues, many homestay owners are facing difficulties in dealing with the concerned government offices.
Dr. Lepcha suggested that these challenges should be properly addressed in the new homestay policy, as resolving such issues would help promote sustainable tourism and strengthen the homestay sector in the region, thereby supporting the local economy and attracting more visitors to Kalimpong District.
Mr. Sarif Rai, Working President of KDTWS, also accompanied the team and participated in the meeting along with other tourism stakeholders from across North Bengal.