The Himachal Pradesh government, in partnership with the private sector through public-private partnerships (PPPs), is focusing on advancing sustainable tourism infrastructure development in the state. During a press conference in Chandigarh, Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), R S Bali, emphasized the state’s reputation as a peaceful and secure destination with immense tourism potential.
Bali stated that the ultimate goal is to boost the state’s economy while creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for the youth. He highlighted the aim to involve private sector participation in the development, management, and operation of properties under a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) project. This initiative is expected to offer world-class facilities and experiences to both domestic and international tourists.
Despite challenges from heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides in mid-2023, tourist arrivals in Himachal Pradesh increased from 1.51 crore in 2022 to 1.60 crore in 2023. By June 2023, the state had welcomed over one crore tourists, including 99,78,504 domestic and 28,239 foreign visitors. However, severe weather conditions during the monsoon season halted tourist inflows, resulting in significant losses amounting to Rs 9,905.77 crore and claiming over 200 lives in rain-related incidents.
At the conference, Bali invited valuable insights and input from private developers and operators on various aspects such as design, partnership frameworks, and other strategic elements to successfully implement and develop tourism-related projects.