BY AMRAPALI CHAKRABORTY
KOLKATA, 29 NOVEMBER
The Chairman of Darjeeling Municipality, Dipendra Thakuri has announced introduction of Rs.20 Tourist Entry Tax per person entering the Queen of the Hills.
Every year, over ten lakhs tourists visit Darjeeling from all over the world. “ The money collected from the tourist tax will be utilised for development of the town including cleaning of garbages and other civic development works,”added Dipendra Thakuri.
More than four hundred hotels are spread all over the hills. A private contractor has been enggaed for collection of the tax from the hotels.
The private contractor will have to pay Rs.28.25 lakhs every year to the Darjeeling Municipality. Tourists accompanying kids who are less than five years will be exempted from the tax.
Each tourist have to pay Rs.20 during the check in at the hotel irrespective of how many days he or she will be staying.
Tourist tax was introduced first in darjeeling in 2008, but withdrwan in 2012. At that time Rs.10 used to be collected from every tourists.
President of Darjeeling Hoteliers Association, Vinod Khanna said that they have not been discussed before impolementing such toursist taxes and will not press to customers.
Himalayan Hospitality Travel and Tour Developmental Network secretary, Samrat Sanyal said that the civic body should have discussed with all the stakeholders before implementation of the Tourst Entry Tax to Darjeeling.
In 1999, Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO, in 2005 the Darjeeling Tea has bagged the GI status. Mount Kangchenjuna is the third highest mountain in the world.
Another popular tourist hub of West Bengal , the terracotta town of Bishnupur in Bankura district has also introduced Tourst Entry Tax since few months back for development by the civic body.
Advertisement:
Add Comment