The West Bengal government has launched a sweeping initiative to overhaul tourism in the state's hilly regions, including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik, Kurseong, and Mongpu, with plans to fully digitise the sector within six to seven months, a senior government official said on Thursday, 22 October 2026. The revamp targets infrastructure upgrades, traffic decongestion, waste management, and international promotion through cultural events.

Digital Infrastructure at the Core

State Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh said digital tools are being deployed as the primary lever to improve the tourist experience and spotlight lesser-known destinations. A 'Digital Tourism App' built by the Darjeeling district administration in just three days is already live, giving tourists one-click access to heritage sites, offbeat destinations, and practical travel information. The minister noted that this model will be scaled to every district in the state. The main website of the tourism department is also being redesigned for easier access to information.

Ropeways, Heritage Sites and Offbeat Destinations

A special emphasis is being placed on a ropeway project to ease chronic traffic congestion in the hills. Reviews have begun for the construction of five new ropeways in the initial phase. Beyond the established draws of the Tea Festival, Vintage Car Rally, Walkathon, River Rafting, and paragliding, the plan covers preservation of heritage properties including the Mahakal Temple, Sevak's Kali Mandir, the old bungalow of Kalijhora, and the Mongpu Bungalow — historically linked to Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Minister Ghosh stressed the importance of promoting offbeat locations beyond Darjeeling itself: 'Although Darjeeling comes to mind when we talk about tourism in North Bengal, it is very important to promote offbeat places spread outside it.'

Homestay Policy Overhaul

A major policy shift is underway in the homestay sector following concerns raised by district administration. Officials found that many homestays remain unregistered and that tourists are being accommodated without identity verification — a practice flagged as a security risk. Darjeeling and Kalimpong police have been directed to prepare detailed lists of both legal and illegal homestays. Going forward, all homestay registration, renewal, and government application processes will shift entirely online, eliminating paper-based workflows. A new homestay policy and a tourism industry policy, both cleared by the state cabinet, are expected to be made public shortly.

Budget and Economic Impact

According to sources in the tourism department, a plan has been drawn up to leverage a ₹57 crore central government budget allocation, along with the department's own land and property assets, to boost the hill economy. If implemented successfully, the initiative is expected to increase employment across the hilly regions, raise revenue collection, and elevate North Bengal tourism onto the global map. Area-based development planning is specifically underway for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Mirik, Dudiya, Mongpu, and Kurseong. This comes amid growing competition from hill destinations in neighbouring states and broader national efforts to formalise tourism infrastructure.