A recently unveiled tourism policy coupled with hosting of PATA Adventure Travel And Responsible Tourism Conference And Mart 2019 in Rishikesh in February is expected to be the stepping stone to bring more international tourists in the state.
The new tourism policy released in 2018 accords industry status to the sector, opening up incentives for investors and focuses on new segments and products like adventure tourism and home-stays.
“We are promoting Uttarakhand for new segments like adventure travel. We are looking to host more international events in future to create awareness about our various offerings. Moreover, considering that we have ecological fragile areas, the focus is on increasing international arrivals in a sustainable way,” said Dilip Jawalkar, Secretary, Tourism, Religious Affairs and Culture Department, Government of Uttarakhand.
The government of Uttarakhand has been proactive in promoting the tourism sector. As per the trade
Other international source markets for international tourist arrivals include the US., Germany, Israel, Latin American and Central Asian markets.
The local tourism and hospitality stakeholders are of the opinion that the state needs to look at new destinations in the state. In
“Traditionally, we have been seeing demand from international markets for spiritual and wellness tourism. However, we have a number of products for tourists seeking adventure travel,” added Jawalkar.
The government is planning about 5000 home-stay facilities by 2020 and the destinations include places such as Mahavtar Babaji’s Cave in Kanalichina in Almora and the Viceroy Trail in Chamoli.