Additional Incentive for Adventure Tour Operators, West Bengal — 60-100% — Frequently Asked Questions

There is no fixed rupee figure. The scheme reimburses between 60% and 100% of what you spend on eligible equipment, and the exact percentage depends on the area group your unit operates in — Group A gets 60%, Group B 70%, Group C 80%, Group D 90%, and Special Areas get the full 100%. Since it is a reimbursement, the payout also depends on the actual cost of the items purchased.

The scheme is valid until 31 December 2025, so applications need to be completed before that date. The sub-scheme itself was notified on 22 February 2021 under the West Bengal Incentive Scheme 2021.

Tourism projects, tourism units and expansion projects established on or after 22 February 2021 are covered, as are hotel units that began commercial operations between 7 January 2015 and 31 December 2020 but could not apply under the earlier 2015 scheme due to the absence of a bar. Units may belong to the private, co-operative or joint sectors, or be companies and undertakings owned or managed by the State Government.

Yes. To claim the additional incentive, a unit must have attracted more than 50 international tourists or more than 100 domestic inbound tourists within a financial year, and that traffic has to be verifiable through SGST payments.

The incentive reimburses the cost of tents, dinghies, adventure and sports equipment, and related accessories purchased for the unit's operations.

The eligibility criteria listed for this scheme do not call for DPIIT or MSME registration. What they do require is a Registration Certificate, a Date of Commencement Certificate and an Eligibility Certificate from the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited, plus project approval and sanction from a Central Financial Institution, a Commercial Bank or a State Financial Institution.

No. This is a reimbursement-based subsidy, so it is non-dilutive and does not take any stake in your venture. You are simply compensated for eligible spending you have already made.

You will need a detailed feasibility report for the project, evidence of approval and sanction from a financial institution, and the three certificates issued by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited — the Registration Certificate, the Date of Commencement Certificate and the Eligibility Certificate. These documents are attached to the Common Application Form on the Shilpasathi portal, which also requires supporting papers to be uploaded along with your details.

The process is fully online through the Shilpasathi portal at silpasathi.wb.gov.in. Register as a new user by selecting your entity type and entering your registration number, or sign in if you already have an account. Then go to ALL SERVICES, choose Tourism Incentive, create a CAF to generate your CAF ID, open Apply Online, fill in the common application form, attach the required documents and submit. SMS and email updates follow at submission and at approval or rejection, and you can track progress on the Check status page. Once approved, the Registration Certificate can be downloaded from the system.

No — the Registration Certificate, Date of Commencement Certificate and Eligibility Certificate from the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Limited must be obtained before you apply for specific incentives. They function as prerequisite stages, and disbursement only happens after these requirements and the related legal formalities are satisfied.

Additional Incentive for Adventure Tour Operators, West Bengal — 60-100% is offered by Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal, a government body. It is provided as non-dilutive funding.