LG Saxena launches official portals for Ladakh tourism

To strengthen Ladakh’s tourism sector and promote its rich cultural heritage, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Wednesday launched the official portals for Ladakh Tourism and the sacred exposition of the holy relics of Lord Buddha, an official said.

The portals — https://tourism.ladakh.gov.in/ and https://tathagata.co.in/ — were launched at the Lt Governor’s Secretariat in the presence of venerable rinpoches, monks and senior government officials, a LokBhavan spokesperson said.

He said the launch marked a significant step towards enhancing Ladakh’s global spiritual and cultural outreach. The tourism website has been conceptualised on the directions of the Saxena as a comprehensive digital platform to serve as a central hub for promoting Ladakh as a premier travel destination, the spokesperson said.

He said the platform will provide authentic, reliable and updated information to tourists while facilitating the growth of the tourism sector. The website has been designed to be dynamic and user-friendly, featuring a tourism calendar to enable visitors to plan their travel around key festivals and events, the spokesperson said.

He said it showcases Ladakh’s diverse offerings, including its spiritual and cultural heritage, tribal traditions, petroglyphs and rock art, adventure tourism, wildlife, astro-tourism, eco-tourism, wellness tourism, cuisine, sports, as well as its potential as a film destination and winter tourism hub.

It will also provide tourists with real-time advisory on health, travel and weather conditions, Saxena said, adding that the portal will also enable online registration of hotels, guest houses and homestays.

In a major ease-of-doing-business reform, inspired by Prime Minister’s vision of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”, the number of documents required for registration has been reduced from 18 to just two, while the validity period has been extended from one year to five years, thereby eliminating the need for annual renewals and reducing procedural burdens for the hotels or homestays or guest houses. “These initiatives mark a significant step towards leveraging digital technology for tourism promotion, improving service delivery and preserving Ladakh’s cultural legacy, thereby reinforcing the UT Administration’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive development,” the Lt Governor said.

The Ladakh Tourism portal, that has been launched for the first time since the inception of Ladakh as a Union territory in 2019, would enable AI-curated travel planning, allowing tourists to customise their itineraries based on their personal interests and budget.

The primary objective is to promote tourism in Ladakh in a manner that benefits local communities while positioning Ladakh as a leading destination for adventure, spiritual and wellness tourism, the spokesperson said.

Also, the digital platform would help showcase the region’s offerings globally, reaching audiences across the world, he said.