Tag: Uttarakhand

Nature, adventure, culture, yoga, meditation— Uttarakhand has all that it needs to be a complete tourism package, an ideal destination, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Uttarakhand investors’ summit. “And now, with the introduction of a separate tourism policy by the Uttarakhand government, tourism has gained the status of an industry,” he said. “During the last four years, many efforts have been made to increase connectivity in Uttarakhand. Highway, railway, airway – Uttarakhand is being connected in every way. Chardham all-weather road and Rhishikesh-Karanprayag rail projects have been progressing at a fast pace. Proper connectivity in the state will have ... Read more

Uttarakhand has immense possibilities in yoga and adventure tourism activities, said Union Minister of State for tourism, K J Alphons. “Trekking, river rafting, water sports, paragliding, skiing and bungy jumping are some of the activities with immense potential,” he said while speaking on the sidelines of the Destination Uttarakhand Investors Summit-2018. The minister also said that developing adventure sports activities and yoga in the state will provide employment to the locals. Alphons urged the investors to come forward to invest in the adventure tourism sector and asked the State Government to stand motivated to develop the sector appropriately. “Tourism sector has generated ... Read more

An order to ban night stay at high-altitude meadows and limiting the number of tourists, by the Uttarakhand High Court will adversely affect the adventure tourism in the state, experts say. It is expected that one lakh people engaged in trekking and mountaineering expeditions will be jobless, besides the loss of revenues to the state. .”Tourism, especially adventure tourism, is the only bread earner for the hill inmates and a court order like this is indirectly asking tourists not to come to the state,” said Jayendra Singh Rana,  President of Garhwal Himalayan Trekking and Mountaineering Association. “The judgment will deprive ... Read more

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand government is conducting ‘Destination Uttarakhand,’ an Investors’ Summit in Dehradun on October 4 and 5, 2018. The ministry will also organize sector-specific Mini Investors Conclaves in different parts of the State in August. Two mini conclaves, specific to tourism sector will be held in Tehri and Nainital on 7th and 10th August respectively. While the agenda of Tehri conclave is tourism and wellness, the Nainital Conclave will explore investment opportunities in film shooting and tourism. “The government will also organize an Ambassadors’ Meet in Delhi on August 30 to present the vast investment potential in the tourism sector ... Read more

Neelong Valley The Uttarakhand government has decided to build basic facilities like toilets, cafes etc in the Nelong Valley. The decision was followed by the discussion of the Tourism Minister with the Army Chief. Nelong Valley has been under the control of the army with restrictions for tourist engagements.  It is located just 45 KM from the Indo-China Border. Only recently the region was opened for tourists. “Once we get official clearance, we will start the construction of toilets, cafeterias etc. in the region to provide more facilities to the tourists,” said Satpal Maharaj, Tourism Minister. Bhuwan Singh Rana, gram ... Read more

The Uttarakhand tourism department is planning to frame rules to ensure private companies’ adoption of its nine heritage sites listed under ‘Adopt a Heritage’ project. Nearly 450 companies came forward to participate in the initiative after its launch by President Ram Nath Kovind on the World Tourism Day 2017. The project, launched by the Govt of India, aims to identify monuments and heritage sites and hand over their upkeep to a corporate entity or public sector undertaking under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) for five years. During these years, the company will ensure basic amenities and well-being of the heritage site but without drawing ... Read more

The Uttarakhand cabinet has recently gave nod to the new rafting and adventure sports regulations and in view of this the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board said it was confident that the ban would be lifted before September. “The high court had banned adventure sports in the state from June 22 due to the absence of a transparent regulation policy. “Since we have a policy in place, we are now in the position to resume the adventure sports activities. We are taking a legal opinion on whether we need to move the court for this. But, as per our understanding, the ... Read more

  Tourism has been one of the major revenue earners of Uttarakhand, the northern state of India. The state government is optimistic about the future of the state through development in the tourism sector. “The tourism sector has the potential to create jobs. The existing tourism hot-spots like Nainital and Mussoorie, which were established centuries ago are at a saturation point and no more development are possible there. So, we are now focused on developing 13 new destinations. Around 12 big banner films have come to the state during my tenure. We are trying to increase the revenue of the ... Read more

As part of their mega ‘Destination Uttaraghand’ programme, the state government is planning various events to attract investment for the development of the state, especially in the tourism sector. An Investors Summit is scheduled in Dehradun on 4th and 5th October 2018. It will organize sector-specific Mini Investors Conclaves in different parts of the State in August. Out of the four Mini Conclaves, two conclaves specific to tourism sector will be held in Tehri and Nainital on August 7 and August 10 respectively. While the Tehri conclave will discuss tourism and wellness, the Nainital Conclave will focus on investment opportunities ... Read more

Uttarakhand Tourism Professional Association (UTPA), an association of professionals from the tourism and associated industries in Uttarakhand, has decided to identify lesser known destinations in the state. The UTPA is planning to promote and market those lesser known destinations to take the benefits of tourism to the state’s hinterland. The association feels that it would help in arresting the migration of people from rural areas to the big cities in search of livelihood. UTPA has recently identified a unique trekking route to ‘Ainchwa Devi’ in Tehri district of the state. Ainchwa Devi Trek is an arduous but interesting trek of ... Read more

Minister of Tourism for Government of Uttarakhand, Satpal Maharaj has sought support of Central Tourism Ministry to develop new tourism circuits around Buddhist travel and destinations associated with Ramayana and Mahabharata in the state. Satpal Maharaj called on Union Tourism Minister, KJ Alphons in Delhi to seek support for the state and thank him for financial support of Rs 85 crore under Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD which are currently under progress in the state. Maharaj said that projects worth Rs 65 crore have already been completed in the state. The minister said that a marathon meeting is being scheduled in ... Read more

The High Court of Uttarakhand has recently imposed a ban on all water-based adventure sports activities, including white water rafting, zip lining and paragliding, until a policy is framed to regulate these activities. In the order dated June 18, the court directed the state government to “prepare a transparent policy in this regard within a period of two weeks”. In view of this, the Union Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has urged state governments to implement the revised Guidelines for Adventure Tourism in India in letter and spirit as early as possible. MoT had recently brought out revised Guidelines for Adventure Tourism in India ... Read more

The Uttarakhand government is banking on the guru-shishya tradition practiced in the Himalayan region ages ago to revive its fast fading folk traditions. The tradition is expected to give a boost to cultural tourism, giving a fillip to the state’s tourism-based economy. “We have a number of vibrant folk traditions in the state. We have introduced the guru-shishya tradition to ensure that all those local traditions — folk dance, singing and music are not wiped out forever,” said Beena Bhatt, director, department of culture. “This (guru-shishya) tradition ran in families where elders passed on the age-old folk traditions to the younger generations orally ... Read more

With an aim to give boost to culinary tourism in Uttarakhand, the state government is planning to launch a scheme under which all “delicious ethnic pahari cuisines” will be popularised among tourists visiting the Himalayan state. “We have a unique gastronomy culture in the state, which reflects from a number of tasty and nutritious local dishes but hardly anybody outside the state knows about them. We will soon introduce a scheme, under which ethnic cuisines will be popularised among tourists to give boost to culinary tourism in the state,” he said. “The scheme will also give boost to the locals’ ... Read more

Uttarakhand has received the Global Star award on tourism from the Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu. The Joint Director Uttarakhand Tourism, Poonam Chand received the award at a programme held at Hotel Le Meridien in Delhi. Expressing happiness on receiving the award, the Tourism and Culture Minister Satpal Maharaj attributed it to love of the people of the state for the environment. “The dream of sustainable tourism can be achieved only by environmental protection, efficient waste management and eco tourism,” he said. “The state has been felicitated for prompting tourism while conserving bio diversity and complex ecosystem of ... Read more