A new record has been set up with the 16.38 percent increase in number of domestic and foreign tourists

A new record has been set up with the 16.38 percent increase in number of domestic and foreign tourists who visited different destinations in the State during year 2010. This was revealed by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, in the review meeting of Tourism Department, here today.

Chief Minister said that 1,32,98,748 tourists visited Himachal Pradesh during January to December, 2010, compared to 1,14,37,135 during the preceding year 2009. He said that the number of foreigners had also increased from 4,00,583 in year 2009 to 4,54,851 during 2010 thereby registering an increase of 54,268 in single year. He said that although the State had adopted the slogan of ‘Himachal for All Seasons for All Reasons’ keeping in view the regular tourism activities taking place round the year. He said that tourism happened to be the core industry of hill state since its inception due to the bountiful beauty Mother Nature had bestowed upon it. He said that Himachal Pradesh had been the safe destination for tourism activities where law and order conditions were at its best. He said that State possessed potential for all categories of tourists and religious tourism was one of the category as devotees from far off places visit prominent religious shrines located at different places within the State. He said that the State Government had endeavoured to create quality infrastructure of basic amenities in and around the prominent religious shrines for the convenience of the devotees and additional arrangements made during the festival season at such places.

Prof. Dhumal said that a large number of hotels were catering to the boarding and lodging requirements of the visitors to the prominent tourist destinations like Shimla, Kullu-Manali, Dalhousie, Dharamshala, Kasauli etc. etc. while new destinations were coming up all over the State which had remained so far unexplored to majority of visitors. He said that the Tourism Department was making concerted efforts to motivate tourists visit lesser known but naturally beautiful tourist places to know the life style of rural people, enjoy their traditional hospitality and cuisines while staying with them for which the State Government had registered a large number of houses under ‘Home Stay’ Scheme of the Department. He said that the basic idea behind the scheme was to explore rural areas for tourism promotion and income generation to local people and making tourism a household affair. He said that rural tourism also provides tourists peace and solitude to stay closer to the nature away from the maddening rush in the metropolitans and pollution. He said that a week’s stay would rejuvenate the energy and freshen-up the people to return to their work fully re-energised to take on their assignments more conveniently.
Chief Minister said that the State had been awarded Best Tourist Destination Award for its outstanding services to the tourists at the national level. He said that the State Government was endeavouring to create quality tourism infrastructure to cater to the needs of high-end tourists. He said that besides developing five and seven star hotel and resorts in different areas, the State Government had also approved the heli-taxi service to fly high paying tourists to different destinations all over the State to make them see more of Himachal within shortest period of time available with them for holidaying. He said that the projects were likely to get matured in the near future and more of the high paying tourists attracted to visit Himachal Pradesh. He said that the Department had updated its information system and online booking of hotels and other information was being made available to the people the world over.

Prof. Dhumal said that State had almost everything to cater to the holiday needs of all sections. He said that the State had different temperate zones ranging from hottest places to the cold deserts, vast stretches for undertaking trekking expeditions, water reservoirs for water sports and high mountains for mountaineering activities etc.. He said that there was hardly any tourism activity which lacked potential in the State. He hoped that the State would further expand the tourism activities to the rural areas of the State in coming years and making every individual an active participant in its promotion.

Dr. Arun Sharma, Director of Tourism and Civil Aviation, detailed the activities of the Department and said that wide publicity carried by the Department was yielding positive results. He said that although some of the prominent destinations were known to the tourists from the world over but the Department had identified many unexplored destinations for tourism promotion. He said that the ‘Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai’ and ‘Incredible Himachal’ coffee table books brought out by the Department were providing a peep into the tourism potential available in the State. He hoped that a new record would be set in tourism sector with every passing year.

Dr. Manoj Sharma, Joint Director of Tourism and Civil Aviation and other officers of the Department were also present