HP Tourism Set To Regain Strength Within Travel Trade

Conducts Extensive Interactive Business Session In Mumbai

Reema Sisodia - Mumbai

Upama Chawdhry

Himachal tourism is all set to rebuild its contacts and business links with the Indian travel trade. The state tourism department has put into place new plans and programmes, redrafted tourism circuits, which would be introduced and promoted amongst the trade. The recently appointed managing director of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation(HPTDC) and tourism commissioner, government of Himachal Pradesh(HP) Upama Chawdhry, has formulated new strategies to strengthen and promote the state’s tourism product. On her recent visit to Mumbai, she along with her team had extensive interactive business development sessions with the travel agents, tour operators, media persons etc.

Detailing her visit to Mumbai, Chawdhry said, “Interaction with the trade was the top most agenda for my visit to the city, followed by the need to take a closer look at our marketing and promotional office in Mumbai. My aim was to understand and study the recent trends and dynamics of the industry and where does Himachal tourism stand in the set up. It was more in the nature of a reality check, the feedback of which would work as an effective tool to chalk out the future course of action and the way forward for HP tourism.”

The state aims to continue with its present strategy of event based tourism, as the department has already put into place a calender of events for the forthcoming year 2004-05. Adventure tourism activities such as para gliding, heli skiing, mountaineering, river rafting, trekking, heritage walks, centenary celebrations like that of the 1904 Gorton Castle which was the erstwhile civil secretariat of the British era, cultural programmes at the Gaiety theatre, rafting events etc along with other attractions would be part of the year round schedule. Most of the details of the events can be found on their website, www.himachaltourism.nic.in. Along with this, the tourism department has also chalked out and circulated 10 special packages for the forthcoming season.

Development of the Buddhist circuit has also gained momentum in the state. The centre has granted the state a sum of Rs seven crores to develop the Buddhist head quarters at Dharmasala. Adds Chawdhry, “The centre has been supportive to the state. The state has also lots to offer with respect to pilgrim tourism as it is home to large number of monasteries, churches, hindu and sikh temples along with a number of historical centres within its territory. We have mounted on an aggressive publicity drive especially with the electronic media to sell the tourism product of the state.”

New sectors and unexplored regions and paths are also being designed for promotions. Adds Rajinder Kumar Sharma, deputy general manager, HPTDC, “New destinations such as Keylong in the Lahoul-Spiti region, Kalpa in the Kinnaur region and Kaza are being designed and developed. Special tribal circuits are also being promoted in the market. Transport facilities and other tourism requirements are in place to receive tourists both national and international.”