Uttarakhand has virtually hit the jackpot with the Centre selecting the hill state as the first tourist destination of India which would be developed in the new Five-Year Plan.
A total of 10 new destinations would be developed in the country, said Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahay on the fringes of a conference of tourism ministers of eight north-central states in this former princely estate.
“Uttarakhand is the first tourist destination which we have selected. We are working to finalise other nine destinations also,” he said.
Tourism officials said the centre would provide nearly Rs 200-250 crore for the development of each tourist destination.
“We are trying hard to compete with the global tourism market. New niche products like caravan tourism, wellness tourism, spiritual tourism, religious tourism are being developed so as to boost tourism,” he said.
All the states have been told to boost the infrastructure and connectivity, he said.
Sahay said the centre is embarking upon the policy of developing integrated perspective investment plans for key circuits/destinations in each of the states and union territories.
These investment plans will identify components requiring investments through public-private partnership (PPP) models. IL&FS has been chosen as the infrastructure partner to explore new destinations and bring new investments in the PPP mode from home and abroad.
Sahay said the centre is also holding consultations with all the states in order to develop a comprehensive new tourism policy. In the next five year plan beginning next year, the thrust will be on complete recasting of tourism industry of the country. “We will prepare a blue print of every state in order to prepare the action plan for the tourism,” he said.
