Dehradun: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan on Tuesday directed the Tourism Department to formulate a comprehensive five-year roadmap for the state’s tourism sector during a review meeting held at the Secretariat.
He said tourism is one of the key pillars of Uttarakhand’s economy and instructed the department to define clear five-year objectives and prepare an action plan accordingly.
The Chief Secretary emphasized the need for extensive promotion of Uttarakhand’s tourism products, stating that achieving growth targets would not be possible without effective marketing. He directed the department to prepare an annual promotional strategy and ensure the timely organization of events such as the Niti Extreme Ultra Run, Adi Kailash High Altitude Marathon, River Rafting Festival, and Winter Carnival to strengthen the state’s tourism brand.
He also instructed officials to prepare short-term, medium-term, and long-term tourism development plans, develop new tourism circuits and destinations, strengthen supporting infrastructure, and encourage private investment in hotels and tourism projects. He stressed that tourism development should be inclusive and sustainable, ensuring balanced growth across all regions of the state.
The Chief Secretary further called for the creation of an institutional framework to train young people as professional tourist guides. He suggested developing a training curriculum that would equip them for employment opportunities both within Uttarakhand and internationally, recommending the use of the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) for this purpose.
The meeting also included directions to promote tourism under the Vibrant Villages Programme and identify suitable locations for developing new glamping projects in response to growing demand.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Dheeraj Garbyal, Additional Secretary Abhishek Rohila, and other senior officials of the Tourism Department.
