Uttarakhand tourism to introduce mobile houses in tourist spots
Photo for representative purpose only
Uttarakhand government is planning to introduce mobile caravans or motor homes equipped with all facilities available in a house, to attract tourists to the major tourist destinations.
The state also envisages encouragement of home-stay facilities in the outskirts of trekking tracks and hill stations.
“We are working on a plan to introduce fleets of mobile caravans equipped with all facilities available in homes, which will be introduced soon. The scheme aims to attract high-end tourists to a number of scenic spots dotting the mountain state,” said Satpal Maharaj, Tourism minister.
Photo for representative purpose only
The twin schemes would help increase tourist arrivals, which would give a boost to the income of the people dependent on tourism activities.
“The government hopes that the homestays will provide a livelihood for the local people and it will prevent forced migration of the locals from the hills,” added the minister.
Out of the two schemes, he said, the caravan tourism would be new to the hill state, which would help attract both high-end foreign and domestic tourists.
“Each motor home would have sleeping spaces, or berths, a kitchen equipped with an oven, refrigerator and a sink. There will also be an attached toilet that can also be accessed from outside, which makes waste disposal easier,” said Maharaj.
Parking areas equipped with all the amenities like electricity connection, water supply, waste disposal etc., will be constructed for the mobile houses.
“Most European countries where motor homes are quite popular have such parks. Similarly, in Nepal, there are open spaces known as ‘Chaugans.’”
Home-stay
“Under the hom-estay scheme, which aims to check forced migration from the hills, the state would provide all kinds of incentives to develop home-stay facilities. We aim to set up 5,000 home-stays by the year 2020,” said the minister.
Home-stays are planning around popular spots like Mahavtar Babaji’s Cave in Kanalichina in Almora, the Viceroy Trail in Chamoli, Madmaheshwar, Pancha Badri and Pancha Kedar etc.
People inhabiting the areas around all such spots would make money not only through their business of home-stays but also by providing services as tourist guides for which they would be properly trained.
Stakeholders of tourism sector have welcomed both the schemes relating to mobile caravan and homestays. “The state government’s move to introduce caravan tourism in the hill state is worth appreciating; it will definitely help attract high-end tourists—domestic as well as foreign,” said Dinesh Shah, a prominent hotelier based in Nainital.