Immersive experiences of Punjab

Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Punjab, says that the present state government’s policies aim to catapult the state to become a leading international tourist destination by 2030.

Suhani Sood

Talking about the Punjab Tourism Summit held recently, Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Punjab, said that the event was a “resounding success”. “All the members of the tourism department, along with the Chief Minister, sat together to showcase Punjab. Tourism influx is very organic in Punjab, the only thing needed is its promotion, which is why tourism summit was organised. Indian celebrities and Punjabi film industry attending the summit was the highlight,” she said.

Government policies

Appreciating the state government’s effort, she informed about the upcoming policies on wellness and women in tourism.

“Punjab’s aspiration to become a wellness hub aligns seamlessly with its cultural heritage. Additionally, empowering women in tourism promises socio-economic growth. By fostering women’s participation and offering training and financial support, we aim to catalyse positive change,” Bhandari said. “The new adventure policy and water tourism policy have already been framed and taken shape. With all these initiatives, I am sure Punjab can do wonders,” she added.

Punjab’s hospitality

Punjab is truly a destination that will soak the tourist in its hospitality, vibrancy, and beautiful historic attractions. “We also gave travellers familiarization trips, so that they can explore destinations. We all know Amritsar, Patiala, and Jalandhar are already explored destinations, yet there are so many unexplored destinations that needs to diversified and included in the itineraries,” she said. “Punjab has only showed colours of red and green, which represents sacrifice, fertility and green revolution. However, now is the wakeup call to showcase colours of tourism and hospitality as well,” she added.

Hope IATO chooses Punjab

When asked about the experience in the recently held IATO Annual Convention, Bhandari praised the event and said, “A lot of promotion happens with such a convention and that too in a tier II city. We expect to host IATO convention or some trade mart of a similar effect, so that we can showcase Punjab to tourism operators.”

Immersive experience

She said that the state government wants people visiting various places in the state of Punjab to go through ultimate experiences, where they can relax and enjoy mouthwatering local delicacies.

“We don’t focus on just one segment, we focus on providing all-in-one experience to the travellers,” she said.