TravTalk India Online Magazine
Uttarakhand is all set to develop its 13 districts as tourist destinations with government promotion, trainings, and subsidies. Domestic and international tourists can now enjoy homestays, adventure treks and religious circuits, with new regulations ensuring safety of all.
TT Bureau
Uttarakhand government is working towards increasing homestays across the region for boosting tourism in the state. The government has set a target of having 5,000 homestays in the state under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Grameen Paryatan Yojana.
Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Uttarakhand, says, “Homestays in the state would help in enhancing tourism, so we have already completed 1522 homestays across the state and have given loans to people in the state. The tourism department is going to train homestay owners and promote them as well.”
Uttarakhand is highly preferred for adventure tourism and the government is making sure that tourists are safe when they indulge in such activities. “We are working with the Central government to formulate policies for a safer experience for all tourists. We have made our own regulations regarding adventure sports like paragliding, river rafting, as well as trekking,” says Maharaj. Wildlife tourism is another highlight of the region which increased when Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, visited Jim Corbett Park (Nainital, Uttarakhand) on Discovery Channel’s Man V/s Wild (survival television series) episode. A ‘Modi’ trail is made at Jim Corbett Park, featuring spots that the PM visited which will allow people to experience the national park by following his footsteps.
The Uttarakhand government has rolled out schemes such as Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Yojana to provide subsidies for developing tourism in the state
Undoubtedly, the Char Dhaam Yatra has been bringing a large flux of tourists to Uttarakhand. Maharaj claims that around 28 lakh people came for the Chaar Dham Yatra in 2019 including domestic and foreign tourists, and NRIs. “We also provided helicopter services to visitors. Many Mauritian tourists also came to visit Chaar Dham – Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. Prime Minister Modi visited Kedarnath and promoted tourism for the destination,” he says. The state also won the National Tourism Award for being a film-friendly state, on which Maharaj said, “Uttarakhand has got beautiful sceneries, meadows and valleys, making it a perfect setting for films. We are giving subsidies for film production and hence, encouraging the film industry to come to Uttarakhand and make more movies.” The government has rolled out many schemes for increasing tourism in Uttarakhand. The Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Yojana finances the alpha to omega of tourism in which subsidies are given to people supporting tourism directly or indirectly, such as opening a laundry, bakery, etc. All kinds of tourism, whether it is stargazing or angling, is given a helping hand. The government is also working with the travel industry to bring tourists to Uttarakhand.
Uttrakhand has 13 districts which will be developed as tourist destinations, and the government here is making many new investments in the tourism infrastructure within the state.
