The inflow of tourists to the hill State of Uttarakhand has been affected by the unprecedented natural disaster that struck the State in June this year.
Even towns like Mussoorie and Nainital which had not been touched by the calamity, saw a decline in tourism. The Government has, however, started taking substantial measures to put the aftermath of the calamity behind it and ensure that people again begin to crowd the various beautiful tourist destinations of the State.
With the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib yatras having been restarted the message that has gone from the Government is that things are returning to normalcy in the Devbhumi and people wishing to visit it should have no apprehensions about implementing their plans. A seminar of travel agents and tour operators will be held here after Dussehra to restrengthen tourism.
Today is World Tourism Day and an apt occasion to look at the tremendous opportunities that exist in this State for the tourists. Tourism has been a vital, integral part of this hill region since ancient times. Pilgrims from all parts of the country have been undertaking the 'Char Dham' yatra since times immemorial, when there were no facilities available for this pilgrimage.
The four 'dhams' of Uttarakhand have always drawn devotees to their portals. The yatra has always supported the hill economy. The almost 200-year old hill station of Mussoorie has been one of the most popular summer destinations ever since its inception. It is an internationally known hill town, with a rich history. The same goes for the 'lake City' of Nainital.
However, since the creation of a separate hill State thirteen years ago, the concept of tourism in the region has been refined and it has been evolving in a more planned manner, bringing to fore the various segments of tourist activity like adventure tourism, religious tourism and more recently, health tourism.
Beautiful trek routes, exciting white water rafting and kayaking on the Ganga, skiing on the wonderful slopes of Auli and the nail-biting wait to sight a tiger at Corbett all make for a thrilling adventurous trip. Besides the ‘Char Dham’ yatra, Uttarakhand offers several other religious destinations like Hardwar, Rishikesh, Hemkund Sahib, Piran Kaliyar, Jageshwar Dham, Adi Kailash, the ‘Panch Badris’ and the 'Panch Kedars'.
For those who wish to combine the improvement of their physical and spiritual health with a vacation, the state boasts of places like 'Ananda in the Himlayas', 'Parmarth Niketan', 'Patanjali Yogpeethh' and many health spas and Yoga Ashrams in Hardwar and Rishikesh. Now all the more, for tourism development in the State, diligent care will have to be taken to ensure that there is no undue interference with Nature and the environment.
The tourism policy should clearly and adequately define all the provisions and should care for sustainability in which community participation should be necessarily ensured. The holistic development of the State is inherently tied to development of tourism and will take place as such.
low budget eco-friendly hotels that provide basic amenities to the tourists should be promoted instead of undertaking building construction of five star hotels. Providing adequate care for tourists' need and requirements during adverse circumstances would go a long way in encouraging tourism development in the State.
There are several heritage buildings in the State that require immediate attention in terms of conservation and restoration. A tourism circuit of such buildings of historical importance and heritage sites could serve as a centre of special attraction for inquisitive tourists. It is highly essential to maintain greenery on the mountains in order to combat the challenges posed by Nature. For this, a campaign should be launched by including different voluntary organizations and the school children.
Development of historical sites such as Kanvashram, establishing the Uday Shankar Academy as the world level institution for preservation and propagation of music forms, development of rope-ways to access remote areas and providing employment under Vir Chandra Singh Garhwali Paryatan Yojana can be important steps in reviving tourism in the State.