Summary
The tourism department, however, is yet to finalise the courses, subjects, the number of seats, the course fee and other details
The tourism department of Bengal has decided to open an educational institute with courses on hotel management, hospitality and tourism in Garidhura, a locality in the foothills around 18km from Siliguri.
It will be the first-of-its-kind state-run institution in north Bengal.
“In this region, there is a huge potential in the tourism and hospitality industry to generate employment. The sector is steadily growing over the years and thus, needs trained and skilled manpower. The institute will provide options to students of this region as well as other parts of the state to study different courses and make them capable of serving in the sector,” said Jyoti Ghosh, the deputy director of the tourism department (north Bengal).
According to Ghosh, the state recently identified a 5.72-acre plot in Garidhura under Kurseong subdivision.
“The state PWD has been assigned with the project. They have already started making the detailed project report,” added Ghosh.
In north Bengal, certain courses on tourism and hospitality are available at the North Bengal University (NBU). Some private institutions also offer such courses.
“However, this is the first time that a government institute will come up in this region where only courses pertaining to the tourism and hospitality sector would be taught,” said a senior hotelier based in Siliguri.
The tourism department, however, is yet to finalise the courses, subjects, the number of seats, the course fee and other details.
“As of now, the state runs another such institute in Durgapur. This new institute may offer courses in various levels like UG and PG degrees, diplomas on subjects like hospitality and hotel administration, business and hotel management, tourism and travel, hotel and restaurant management, and so on,” said a faculty member of NBU.
Those associated with the tourism industry welcomed the initiative.
Samrat Sanyal, the general secretary of Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network, said trained human resources was an important component in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
“The institute will offer new career options for students of this region who want to join this sector. The industry, on the other hand, will get skilled people,” he said.
Last updated on 29 Sep 2023
