We must promote tourism but not at villages' cost: Union tourism secretary

Tourism should be promoted but not at the cost of villages, Union Tourism Secretary V Vidyavathi on Wednesday said as she held an interactive session with a group of sarpanches and gram pradhans from a large number of border villages.

She said adventure tourism is an important segment for the tourism ministry and it has huge potential in the villages chosen under the Vibrant Villages Programme.

Launched as a centrally-sponsored scheme, the programme envisages comprehensive development of identified villages in 46 blocks abutting the northern border in 19 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

Vidyavathi held a session with 300 sarpanches and gram pradhans from the border villages chosen under the programme at Hotel Ashoka here, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

On Tuesday, these village heads attended the 77th Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort. They were among the 1,800 special guests invited to the event.

The meeting included discussions on different aspects of tourism, challenges faced by different villages and potential/and solutions for tourism development. The participants discussed topics including infrastructure, community engagement, skill development and environment preservation, it said.

"We have to celebrate tourism festivals and, for that, you do not have to come to Delhi. We will reach your villages to celebrate the festival with you," thestatement quoted her as saying.

Adventure tourism is an important segment for the tourism ministry and it has huge potential in the vibrant villages, she said.

Emphasising on sustainability, the tourism secretary said, "We must promote tourism but not at the cost of villages."

She also assured the meeting that all the required support will be extended to develop and promote the villages as tourist destinations under the programme.

The sarpanches shared their views about developing tourism in their villages, associated challenges and the opportunities available.

Pradeep Kumar Negi from Batseri in Himachal Pradesh advocated for responsible tourism development and maintaining the indigenous identity. He also suggested measures such as cable cars and ropeways for tourists.

Thupstin Tsultim from Durbuk in Ladakh shared the importance of homestays, cultural festivals and digital connectivity.

M Dinesh Rawat from Harshil in Uttarakhand advocated for winter sports and creating destinations around yoga and crafts. He also emphasised on the importance of environment protection.

Huri Nai from Damin in Arunachal Pradesh raised awareness about land preservation and highlighted the importance of tourism for community development.

The tourism ministry is developing three trans-state mega adventure trails with a focus on border villages covered under the programme. It includes the Western Indian Himalayan Trail, Eastern Indian Himalayan Trail and the Trans Himalayan Trail, the statement said.

The Vibrant Villages Programme was approved in February with a central contribution of Rs 4,800 crore, including Rs 2,500 crore specifically for road connectivity, between 2022-23 and 2025-26.