Centre For Skill Development In Tourism

What Centre For Skill Development In Tourism does

Centre For Skill Development In Tourism (CSDT) is a Section 8 non-profit company incorporated in 2017 under the Government of India Companies Act 2013, headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal (CIN: U85300WB2017NPL222620; NGO UID: WB/2020/0262595). The organization delivers short-term tourism education, hospitality, and skill development programs targeting host communities, grassroot stakeholders (trekking guides, tourist taxi drivers, boat operators, facilitators), tourism students, industry professionals, and food business operators. Its product portfolio spans certification schemes such as the West Bengal Tourist Guide Certification Scheme and FSSAI's FoSTaC, alongside workshops on responsible tourism, basic hospitality, and industry orientation. Program delivery is in-person at district-level venues across West Bengal (Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Pargana, Howrah, Kolkata, Bankura, Sundarbans), with no proprietary digital training platform.

The business model is non-commercial: CSDT functions as an empanelled knowledge partner and training provider inside the government skill development ecosystem, with revenue derived from government grants, scheme-based program funding, and partnership training fees rather than direct beneficiary pricing. Its primary counterparties are the Department of Tourism (Government of West Bengal), PBSSD Utkarsh Bangla, the Ministry of Tourism (Government of India) via India Tourism Kolkata, and FSSAI. Operational support is provided through MOUs and partnerships with IHM Kolkata, BCC&I, IATO, and ADTOI. There are no funding rounds, no parent entity, no commercial customer logos, and headcount is reported at 1-10, indicating a small, grant-dependent operating structure rather than a venture-backed scaling entity.

Name

Centre For Skill Development In Tourism

Legal name

Centre For Skill Development In Tourism

Website

https://csdt.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Centre For Skill Development In Tourism is a Kolkata-based Section 8 non-profit delivering government-empanelled tourism, hospitality, and food-safety training programs to host communities, grassroots guides, students, and industry professionals across West Bengal, India.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kolkata

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Program Funding: CSDT operates as a Section 8 non-profit company and generates revenue through government-initiated skill development programs. Funding comes from the Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal, and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for conducting certification schemes and training programs.
2. Training Partnership Services: As an empanelled training partner with FSSAI for FoSTaC certification and MOU holder with IHM Kolkata, CSDT conducts food safety and hospitality training programs for food business operators and industry professionals.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CSDT is a Section 8 non-profit company that delivers government-recognized tourism skill development training and certification programs across West Bengal, India. Its portfolio spans tourist guide certification, food safety training (FoSTaC), destination specialist courses, trekking/taxi/boat operator skills programs, basic hospitality training, and responsible tourism workshops targeted at host communities, grassroots stakeholders, students, industry professionals, and food business operators.

Product overview

Centre For Skill Development In Tourism (CSDT) offers a comprehensive portfolio of short-term tourism education and training programmes delivered as multiple independent training offerings. The portfolio consists of: (1) Industry-focused programmes including Destination Specialist Programme and Responsible Tourism Workshops for professionals; (2) Community-focused programmes including Basic Hospitality Training and Tourism Resource Person Development; (3) Grassroots stakeholder programmes covering Trekking Guides, Tourist Taxi Drivers, Boat Operators, and Tourist Facilitators; (4) Fresher programmes including Industry Orientation Workshops; (5) Food Safety Training & Certification (FoSTaC) in partnership with FSSAI; and (6) West Bengal Tourist Guide Certification Scheme as the primary government partnership initiative. The organization functions as a non-profit training provider offering these programmes in association with government agencies (Ministry of Tourism, PBSSD Utkarsh Bangla) and industry bodies (IHM Kolkata, IATO, ADTOI, BCC&I).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• West Bengal Tourist Guide Certification Scheme Government-recognized certification scheme for aspiring tourist guides in West Bengal, delivered as district-level training programs in partnership with the West Bengal Tourism Department. Aimed at individuals seeking formal credentials to work as certified tourist guides.
• Destination Specialist Programme Training programme equipping participants with destination-specific knowledge and skills required to serve as destination specialists in West Bengal's tourism sector. Targeted at aspiring tourism professionals and freshers.
• Workshops on Responsible Tourism Practices Workshop-format training on responsible tourism practices, intended to build awareness and operational know-how among tourism stakeholders, host communities, and industry professionals.
• Basic Hospitality Training Entry-level hospitality training program covering foundational service skills for individuals seeking frontline roles in hotels, guesthouses, and tourism establishments.
• Tourism Resource Person Development Programme Development program designed to train individuals to serve as tourism resource persons, supporting training delivery, community engagement, and field-level capacity building in tourism initiatives.
• Skill Development Programme for Trekking Guides Specialized skill development program focused on safety, route management, and guiding competencies for trekking guides operating in West Bengal's hill and forest destinations.
• Skill Development Programme for Tourist Taxi Drivers Skill development program for tourist taxi drivers covering soft skills, destination knowledge, customer service, and tourist handling protocols required for tourism-related passenger transport.
• Skill Development Programme for Tourist Boat Operators Skill development program aimed at tourist boat operators, covering safety, hospitality, and operational competencies for water-based tourism services in West Bengal.
• Skill Development Programme for Tourist Facilitators Skill development program for tourist facilitators, equipping participants with interpersonal, logistical, and informational skills to assist tourists across West Bengal destinations.
• Industry Orientation Workshops Workshop-format orientation sessions exposing tourism industry newcomers and stakeholders to sector standards, employer expectations, and current operational practices.
• Food Safety Training & Certification (FoSTaC) FSSAI-recognized food safety training and certification (FoSTaC) delivered under CSDT's FSSAI empanelment, targeting food handlers and food business operators seeking mandatory FSSAI compliance training.
• Covid SoP Hands-on Training Hands-on training program on Covid-19 Standard Operating Procedures for tourism stakeholders, focused on safety protocols during the pandemic.
• Reinventing Bengal 2021 Workshop 2021 workshop series focused on reimagining and reviving West Bengal's tourism sector following pandemic disruptions.
• Stay Safe 2021 Workshop 2021 workshop initiative focused on safety practices and protocols for tourism stakeholders, complementing CSDT's pandemic-response training portfolio.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) KolkatacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSDT has an MOU with IHM Kolkata under Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for joint initiatives and technical support for hospitality trainings organized by CSDT.
• Utkarsh Bangla (PBSSD - Paschim Banga Society for Skill Development)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal initiated the West Bengal Tourist Guide Certification Scheme conducted at district level under PBSSD Utkarsh Bangla through the Department of Technical Education, with CSDT as Knowledge Partner, Training Provider, and Training Centre.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCSDT is empanelled with FSSAI as Training Partner for Food Safety Training & Certification (FoSTaC) for Food Business Operators across the food value chain. CSDT is also empanelled as Food Hygiene Rating Agency for F&B outlets.
• Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIATO is the National apex body of the tourism industry with over 1600 members nationally covering all segments of Tourism Industry.
• Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerADTOI is the National Body of Domestic Tour Operators recognized by the Minister of Tourism Government of India.
• Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industries (BCC&I)moderateImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) is the oldest trade body in India established in 1853. CSDT has an agreement with BCC&I as Training Partner for joint initiatives. CSDT conducted Bengal Eat-Safe 2021 training at BCC&I Kolkata.
• Tourism Department, Government of West BengalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal initiated the West Bengal Tourist Guide Certification Scheme, with CSDT as Knowledge Partner, Training Provider, and Training Centre.
• India Tourism Kolkata, Ministry of Tourism, Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganized Covid SOP Hands-on Training programs for Tour Operators and Hoteliers in collaboration with India Tourism Kolkata. Also partner for DEKHO APNA DESH DESTINATION WORKSHOP 2021.
• Medinipur CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner for tourism skill development programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Pratham Education Foundation: Large Indian non-profit focused on education and vocational training for underprivileged communities. Comparable as a large-scale India-based skill and education non-profit, though with a broader education focus beyond tourism.

Broad incumbents

• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII): Industry chamber running skill development, training, and certification programmes across sectors including tourism. Comparable as a large industry-body training provider, though it spans many industries beyond tourism.
• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): Public-private partnership umbrella body that funds and coordinates skill development across all sectors in India. Comparable as the larger ecosystem player that oversees training partners like CSDT and shapes the policy environment in which they operate.
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI): India's largest industry chamber running sector-specific training and certification programmes including in tourism and hospitality. Comparable as an industry body delivering tourism-related professional development, but at much larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Institute of Hotel Management (IHM): Network of central and state government-run hospitality training institutes offering hotel management courses under the Ministry of Tourism. Comparable to CSDT as both deliver government-recognised hospitality training, though IHMs are larger institutions; CSDT's IHM Kolkata MOU underscores direct overlap.
• Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM): An autonomous body under the Ministry of Tourism offering tourism training, education and capacity building. Directly comparable as both are government-affiliated tourism training institutions delivering skill development across India.
• Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC): National Sector Skill Council under NSDC for tourism and hospitality. Directly comparable as both operate in the same tourism skill development, certification, and training ecosystem in India, with overlapping employer/partner relationships.

Emerging players

• Quest Alliance: Indian non-profit focused on skilling and livelihood programmes for youth and underserved communities. Comparable as both operate as training-focused non-profits targeting skill development outcomes in India, though Quest operates across multiple sectors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/csdtin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csdtin
• Instagraminstagram.com/csdt.in

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centre For Skill Development In Tourism