Indian statesman Gopalkrishna Gokhale once said, "what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow!" Renowned worldwide as a thriving, dynamic centre for art & literature, West Bengal's location, fascinating culture, people history and heritage have made this statement true in more ways than one.

West Bengal is a state rich in resources that can be leveraged for tourism. As per the State Tourism Policy, the State will focus on these assets to proactively develop different tourism products/destinations. The tourism products/destinations to be accorded priority will be as follows:

Nature-based Tourism:

West Bengal is replete with most of the natural assets that exist in the country, except the desert. Some of these assets are unique (e.g. Sunderbans delta, tea plantations, beaches, mountains and wildlife) and give the State a huge competitive advantage. Tourism will be developed around these natural resources, which will include Sunderbans Tourism, Plantation Tourism, Sea and Coastline Tourism, Mountain Tourism, Eco and Forest Tourism, and River Tourism.

Cultural Tourism:

West Bengal is the cultural capital of India. It has constantly produced thoughts, ideas and events which have brought forth freshness and rejuvenation in society both in India and the world. This strength of West Bengal needs to be taken forward with greater vigour from a tourism perspective to give tourism an unmatched strength in the State. The specific components of Cultural Tourism that will be focused upon will include Fairs and Festivals Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Arts and Crafts Tourism, Cuisine Tourism, Film Tourism, Family, Relatives and Friends Tourism, and Village Tourism.

Religious Tourism:

India is known for its religious places of worship. Visit religious destinations that has been the biggest reason for travel in India, and West Bengal too has a vital role to play in this area. Tourism products involving religious destinations will be developed.

Contemporary Tourism:

To remain competitive, West Bengal will also focus on tourism products that are contemporary and which provide a reason for people to travel. These would include Shopping Tourism, Convention Tourism, Leisure and Amusement Parks Tourism, Medical Tourism, Rail Tourism, Highway Tourism, Sports Tourism, Know-Your-Own State Tourism, Special Tourism Zones, and other tourism products.