Tour operators in Jalpaiguri launched a comprehensive package for tourists in the district on the occasion of World Tourism Day on Wednesday.

The package of two nights and three days, they said, would cover a series of attractions including rivers, forests, religious and historical places, sites of adventure sports and tea gardens.

“Most of the tourists who visit Jalpaiguri district reach the Dooars to enjoy the forests and tea gardens. But in the district, there are a number of less-visited sites. We want to promote these sites as well and have launched a comprehensive package for tourists for varied experiences. The cost of the package will depend on the number of tourists in a group,” said Sabyasachi Roy, the general secretary of Jalpaiguri Tour Operators’ Welfare Association.

According to him, destinations such as the Gorumara National Park, Bhorer Alo in Gajoldoba, Bengal Safari Park, Jalpaiguri palace and hilly areas like Jhalong and Suntalekhola have been included in the package.

Representatives of the association, eyeing tourist inflow from Bangladesh, said the railways should halt the Mitali Express, which runs between New Jalpaiguri and Dhaka, in stations like Jalpaiguri Town, Haldibari and Chilahati.

While Haldibari is the last Indian station on the border, Chilahati is the first station on the other side. As of now, there is no such halt of the train at these stations.

“But doing so (starting such halts) will promote cross-border tourism. From Chilahati, the ancient Buddhist monuments of Paharpur, the historical Dimla Kali temple and the palace of Devi Choudhurani in Rangpur are nearby. A Bangladeshi tourist intending to visit the Dooars has to travel less from Haldibari or Jalpaiguri compared to New Jalpaiguri,” said Roy.

Since January last year, the train has been running between New Jalpaiguri and Dhaka, located 513km apart.

To mark World Tourism Day, Jalpaiguri district administration released a guidebook for tourists. Shama Parveen, the district magistrate, released the book with detailed information about tourist destinations across Jalpaiguri.

World Tourism Day was also celebrated in Siliguri, Cooch Behar and some other locations in north Bengal.

In Siliguri, the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network hosted a joy ride for students on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway’s toy train. Later in the day, they also organised an award function for tourism stakeholders. Suresh Periwal, an industry veteran in the region, received an award for lifetime contribution to tourism.