NEW DELHI: The government has tasked top officials of key Union ministries to promote tourism, and create new and unexplored hubs across highways, airports, seaports and at other locations spread across urban and rural India. Senior bureaucrats working in important ministries are part of the newly-formed advisory council on tourism which will be headed by Union Minister of Tourism Mahesh Sharma.
Ten secretaries heading crucial Union ministries of home, finance, foreign, culture, civil aviation, urban development, water and sanitation, shipping and road transport and highways will prepare a growth plan to boost tourism. The chairman of Railway Board will also be part of the tourism “think tank”. “The objective is to integrate unexplored areas for tourism growth. While the move will attract more tourists, it will also help in generating employment,” a senior official of the tourism ministry said.
He added that like in Haryana, there is massive scope of highway tourism. The state has developed over 20 tourism hubs in Karnal, Panipat, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Sirsa etc. These cities are situated alongside national highways.
“The council will look into the development of infrastructure facilities and services in the areas of commerce, communication, connectivity, hospitality, transportation, medical facilities etc to make the places more tourist friendly,” the official added.
Moreover, executive directors and CMDs of many hotel chains, including ITC Limited, Leela Ventures, Bharat Hotels have been made part of the council to serve the objective better.
The official added that the promotion of tourist destinations is primarily the state government’s responsibility. However, as part of its holistic tourism destination campaign, the Ministry of Tourism has taken these initiatives.
Considering the fact that tourism and hospitality sectors play a significant role in employment generation, the government has undertaken several initiatives to boost the sector. Many new schemes such as Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD have also been launched. Schemes and initiatives such as Hunar se Rozgar tak, e-Tourist Visa, mobile application for tourists, Incredible India tourist helpline have been revamped for a better travel experience.