Panel wants sops for Darjeeling hotels

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Darjeeling, West Bengal's hill station famous for beautiful tea gardens, has immense potential for tourism growth and there is a need to provide subsidies to hotels to attract visitors, a parliamentary panel has recommended.

The committee on transport, tourism and culture, presented its report in parliament Wednesday, saying that the concept of tea tourism should also be explored.

The panel suggested that subsidy should be provided to smaller and budget hotels on a priority basis to promote tourism in Darjeeling.

It also favoured all-weather, single window customs and immigration facilities for tourists.

The famous Singla ropeway of Darjeeling should be extended to Jorethang in Sikkim, the committee suggested.

The Bagdogra airport, close to Darjeeling, also supports areas in Sikkim, Bihar and Assam and there was a need to increase the number of flights, the panel said.