Sustainable growth for Ladakh

The newly-formed Union Territory of Ladakh has been given a new lease of life with its tourism budget increasing from a mere ₹55 lakh to the present ₹200 crore. The All Ladakh Tour Operators Association (ALTOA), along with Ladakh’s Department of Tourism, recently shared their plan to promote and develop the destination.

Nisha Verma

At the recently-organised ‘Ladakh Night’ organised by Ladakh’s tourism department and All Ladakh Tour Operators Association, Rigzin Samphel, Commercial Secretary, Department of Tourism, Ladakh, claimed that its tourism potential, since the day it became a Union Territory (UT), is yet to reach a high. He said, “We need budgetary support and at the same time, we need proper planning to achieve the vision. Hence, there has been a substantial increase in the budget for promotion of tourism in Ladakh. Our vision is that tourism in the UT should be both equitable and sustainable, because Ladakh has a fragile ecosystem. We should ensure that in the haste of achieving this so-called development, we do not compromise on that. Efforts taken also need to ensure that the achievements and benefits that come from tourism should spread around and not be confined to a few places. There is a huge potential in places like Suru Valley, Dras and Nubra. That is the vision, principal and philosophy we will be working on.”

To this, Tsetan Angchuk, President, ALTOA, added that the idea behind showcasing the products to the trade in New Delhi was to update them on what Ladakh had to offer. “A travel meet like this happened for the first time after Ladakh was made a UT. We have a lot of expectations and things are really changing fast on the ground. We need to look ahead while keeping technology and sensitivity of the environment in focus,” he shared.

New projects and promotions, and a new marketing strategy are on the anvil, for which ALTOA will work in synergy with the local administration, tourism board and local stakeholders. Kargil, as a tourism destination, was a key focus at the event. “Kargil, in people’s mind, was once just a junction. It has a lot of potential for tourism, be it adventure, culture, or 18th century arts and monuments. Infrastructure-wise as well, Kargil has new properties coming up, be it in the luxury segment or three-star hotels. Road infrastructure is getting better and under the UDAN scheme, the new airport is coming up, which will promote Kargil in a big way,” Angchuk claimed.