Uttarakhand to develop spiritual tourism circuits
The north Indian state is promoting spiritual tourism by developing circuits such as the ‘Devi Circuit’ and ‘Shiv Circuit’
Showcasing Uttarakhand as a destination for spiritual tourism in India, the government of Uttarakhand set forth the development of devotional circuits like Devi Circuit and Shiv Circuit, as announced during the Tourism Investors Meet 2017 on Wednesday.
The Government of Uttarakhand is working towards unveiling a new policy to give a fillip to the tourism sector in the state. Home to paanch dhams (five abodes/ pilgrimage sites) – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, Gangotri along with Sri Hemkund Sahib – the north Indian state is promoting spiritual tourism by developing circuits such as Devi Circuit and Shiv Circuit.
“Until now, this year the number of tourist arrivals in the state have already crossed the 1.7 million mark, reflecting the immense potential it has as a tourist destination,” Satpal Singh Rawat, Minister of Tourism, Pilgrimage and Religious Fairs, Government of Uttarakhand, said on the first day of Tourism Investors Meet (TIM) 2017.
Alongside spiritual tourism, adventure, medical and wellness tourism, and culinary tourism are also being developed in the state. Besides, in order to spur Uttarakhand as a world-class winter destination, the government is planning to set up skiing resorts and undertaking other such initiatives, along with promoting homestays to allow tourists to spend time in the lap of nature.
Funds have been sanctioned by the central government for construction of all-weather roads and laying down of railway tracks. Rawat urged the industry to invest in the state as it offers immense opportunities to develop varied tourism destinations.
Tourism Investors Meet has established itself as one of the biggest networking platform for attracting Investment in Tourism Infrastructure Development in various states. Not only Uttarakhand, but various other state governments also called for investments in various tourism sectors in their respective states in sectors including hotels, mega convention centres, wayside amenities, amusement parks, adventure tourism, river cruise, sanitation and civic amenity, among others.
