Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 14 Jul: Chief Secretary (CS) Anand Bardhan held a review of the performance of the Tourism Department in the Secretariat auditorium here today and sought detailed information on all the schemes. During the meeting, the CS observed that tourism is one of the important sources of Uttarakhand’s economy and he directed the department to set clear targets for the next five years so that outcome indicators can be achieved. He stressed that special efforts must be made for publicity of tourism products, as without promotion it would not be easy to achieve the set goals. He asked for an annual publicity plan to be prepared and suggested that events such as the Niti Extreme Ultra Run 2026, Adi Kailash High Altitude Marathon, river rafting festivals and winter carnivals should be organised at different locations every year at fixed times. He said such events not only serve publicity but also become centres of attraction for tourists.
Bardhan also directed that short-term, medium-term and long-term plans be prepared for tourism development in the state. He said that tourism circuits and destinations should be created along with the necessary infrastructure, and private sector investors should be involved in hospitality and tourism projects. He emphasised that new tourist sites must be continuously developed across the state and inclusive, sustainable tourism growth should be promoted to ensure balanced development throughout Uttarakhand. The CS also directed that training of the youth as guides should be institutionalised, suggesting that the Institute of Hotel Management could be utilised for this purpose. He added that the training modules should be designed in such a way that trained youth can find employment not only in Uttarakhand but across India and overseas. He further instructed special efforts for Vibrant Village schemes and noted the growing demand for glamping projects, directing that suitable sites be identified and glamping products developed.
On the occasion, Secretary Dheeraj Garbyal and Additional Secretary Abhishek Rohila along with other senior officials were present.
