Dehradun. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has said that the slow pace of tourism activities due to Covid-19 will soon change. Tourism will improve rapidly when conditions become normal. For this, themed tourist spots are being developed in every district of the state.

In a webinar organized by Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council on the occasion of World Tourism Day, the Chief Minister said that the coming winter season will inspire tourists to come to Uttarakhand. The Chief Minister was addressing the Chief Guest at the webinar. Uttarakhand Government, Special Guest Satpal Maharaj Tourism Minister, Uttarakhand Government, and Special Guest Dilip Javalkar, Secretary Tourism also participated in the webinar.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said in a program organized through the webinar, “Tourism in Uttarakhand has increased rapidly, religious and other tourism activities are being promoted in the state. Tourism activities have come down due to Kovid, but tourism will improve rapidly as the situation returns to normal. The Chief Minister said that theme-based tourist spots are being developed in every district in the state. Tourism in Uttarakhand is an area that has a lot of employment potential.

The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand is a state with various biodiversity. Snow-covered mountain ranges, bugyal, various types of fauna, and good human resources attract the attention of tourists towards Devbhumi Uttarakhand, Snow Leopard Park is being built in Uttarkashi district. In Uttarakhand, efforts are being made by the government to have tourism-based activities throughout the year. Uttarakhand has a favorable climate for activities like kayaking, rafting, paragliding. Efforts are being made to promote tourism in marginal areas. Homestay is being promoted in the state, more than 2200 homestays have been registered in which very good homestays have been made in Almora, Pithoragarh, Pauri. People’s trend towards homestay has also increased, homestay not only attracts tourists but is also providing good employment opportunities for the people here. The Chief Minister said that now there is a good facility for tourists to visit Uttarakhand. The natural and scenic beauty of Uttarakhand inspires tourists to come here during winter.

Through the webinar, Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said, “Tourism sector has contributed significantly to Uttarakhand’s GDP. We are moving towards environmental interest tourism, efforts are being made to increase the livelihood of local people through tourism and pilgrimage. Our effort is to turn disaster into an opportunity. The theme of World Tourism Day this year is based on ‘Tourism and Rural Development. Along with rural development, several efforts are being made by the state government to promote tourism in the mountainous regions. In the coming days, our overall efforts will again change the picture of Uttarakhand, tourism activities will improve people’s livelihood.

The tourism minister said, “We have already completed the Bhagwati circuit to create an environment conducive to the religious tourism in the state. Work on Lord Shiva, Vaishnav Circuit, Navagraha Circuit, Nag Devta Circuit, Goyal Devta, Ramayana, and Mahabharata Circuit, Vivekananda, Shakya, and Mahasu Devta Circuit are going on in full scale. After the completion of the new circuits, new avenues of religious tourism will open in the state. Additionally, the Indian Railways is all set to lay a railway line from Rishikesh to Karnprayag.

The Tourism Minister said that Uttarakhand has to be the most preferred state for health tourism, promoting traditional cuisine as an immunity booster. Uttarakhand is a repository of polyherbal, spices, which are known for its therapeutic use and have been used for centuries by sages and exponents of Ayurveda. We are considering developing the state as “Himalayan immunity cuisine” by combining the rich heritage of Kumaoni and Garhwali cuisine.

Through the webinar, Secretary Tourism Dilip Javalkar said, “The tourism industry is an important pillar of Uttarakhand’s economy, which has the potential to lift the state from the influence of Covid-19”. For the rural communities of Uttarakhand, tourism directly means opportunity. It provides employment and economic empowerment for women and youth. Tourism encourages rural communities to protect and promote their natural surroundings, as well as their culture and heritage. These things provide a unique experience to the tourists and they enjoy it.

Prasun Joshi, Manisha Pandey, Dr., who was present as a panel speaker through the webinar on World Tourism Day. Shivam Maini, Mandeep Singh, Dhanush Singh and experts associated with tourism activities gave their suggestions.