Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday said his government is considering framing a new tourism policy to increase the number of tourists in the state by more than half promoting lesser-known destinations.
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Presiding over a meeting of the tourism department here, Sukhu said the government was aiming to increase the number of tourists coming to the state from three to five crore in the next five years.
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Nature has blessed Himachal with unprecedented grandeur and there was a need to tap this potential, he said, according to a statement. ?
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About 72 lakh tourists have visited Himachal by May 2023, the statement said. ?
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Sukhu during the meeting instructed the tourism department to evolve a mechanism to accurately assess tourist influx and asked them to improve the basic infrastructure to facilitate the visitors.
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He said tourism is a big part of the state economy and tourism-related projects a top priority for his government.
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The CM also emphasised the importance of marketing and rationalisation of staff in the tourism department.
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Reviewing several projects aimed at developing Kangra district into the state tourism capital, he directed the department to prepare a concept paper for further consideration.
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The projects under consideration include a roller skating rink in Sakoh, a golf course in Paragpur, a high-end resort in Menjha, a tourism village in Narghota, and an Aero City, all in Kangra.
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The government also plans to set up a theme-based satellite village in Naura Khad in the Nagrota Bagwaan assembly segment of the district, he said. ?
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The government is working on expanding the Kangra airport, constructing a greenfield airport in Nagchala in the Mandi district, and building new heliports across the state, the statement said.
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In the first phase, heliports are being constructed at nine places, with one each in Jaskot in Hamirpur district, Rakkar and Palampur in Kangra district, Sultanpur in Chamba district, Manali in Kullu district, Jispa, Sissu, and Rangrik in Lahaul-Spiti district, and Sharbo in Kinnaur district.