Haryana to enhance awareness drive to promote State tourism

New Delhi, Sep 3 (UNI) Haryana is launching a huge marketing drive to enhance awareness levels about the State's tourist product by developing quality infrastructure and involvement of private sector for investing comprehensively in tourism projects to establish it as a top-ranking tourist destination.

''We need to have a vision for tourism development so as to achieve a superior quality of life for India's people through tourism, which would provide a unique opportunity for physical invigoration, mental rejuvenation, cultural enrichment and spiritual elevation,'' said Mrs Kiran Chaudhary, Tourism Minister, Haryana, while speaking at the valedictory session of the XXIII Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) Annual Convention here today.

Haryana is ready to welcome tourist and investors alike as the main aim is to position tourism as a major revenue generator, which would definitely be instrumental in the economic growth of the State, she said and added that the Government has set up network of 44 tourist complexes all over the State and the tourism department has elaborate plans to develop historic cities like Pinjore, Kurukshetra and Panipat as an integrated tourism circuit.

In view of the commonwealth games scheduled to be held New Delhi in 2010, Haryana is gearing up as prime tourist destination and would be offering about 10,000 additional budget rooms, of which 8000 had already been demarcated.

There has been a 45.5 per cent growth in terms of foreign tourist arrivals and 62.2 per cent growth in foreign exchange earning in the last three years.

The year 2006 saw 4.43 million international tourist visits to India and thus the country registered a growth of 14 per cent over the last year, she said.

Quoting the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Mrs Chaudhary said that India's travel and tourism demand is expected to grow by 8.8 per cent per annum in real terms by the year 2014.

Haryana has decided to prepare a comprehensive document for the development and positioning of Kurukshetra on the international tourist map in view of its incomparable historical, religious and achaeological heritage and significance.

Likewise, serious efforts are being made to position other destination also as attractive tourist spots as the State has lots to offer, the Minister said.

Hodel, Surajkund, Karna Lake, Tilyar (Rohtak) and Bhima Devi Complex are also being developed as ideal tourist destinations.

State government has taken keen interest to offer some of its tourist's destinations as a forum for marketing products by women craftsmen and folk artists.

The annual Surajkund Crafts Mela, Heritage Festival, Mango Mela and Geeta Festival are the annual events that highlight some of the finest traditions of the country, Mrs Chaudhary said.

UNI