Chandigarh to be promoted as tourism hub

Chandigarh, Nov 14 (UNI) The Chandigarh Administration has decided to adopt some novel and innovative measures like 'Wedding Tourism' to promote Chandigarh as the tourism hub of north India, Union Territory Home Secretary Krishna Mohan has said.

He was addressing a press conference at World Travel Market (WTM), London, last night, according to an official release here.

Mr Mohan said the Chandigarh Administration would also promote Sports Tourism and Medical Tourism in a big way.

Chandigarh Tourism Department is in the process of facilitating foreign visitors, who wish to attend such wedding ceremonies in collaboration with various hotels and resorts.

Chandigarh Tourism is participating in the prestigious World Travel Market. WTM provides a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade industry to meet, network, negotiate, conduct business and stay abreast with the latest developments in the travel industry. As many as 5,402 exhibitors from more than 200 represented regions and countries are participating this year.

Mr Mohan said that Chandigarh is a modern planned city with architecture that is universal in its appeal and admired the world over.

Recently, the city of Chandigarh has been placed on tentative list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, thereby becoming India's first such city.

The Home Secretary emphasised that Chandigarh is now also becoming known as a major tourist destination, as it not only lies close to New Delhi but also provides a gateway to the Himalayas.

Weddings in north India are extremely grand occasions and provide a lot of entertainment value to foreign tourists, Mr Mohan said.

Indian weddings are occasions to behold and Chandigarh is particularly known for its glamourous and graceful wedding ceremonies. European visitors in particular relish such occasions and Chandigarh Tourism is in the process of facilitating foreign visitors for these ceremonies.

Sports Tourism, including Golf Tourism, Cricket Tourism and Tennis Tourism, is also becoming highly popular in Chandigarh which provides excellent sporting facilities for the tourists to try out their skills especially at easily accessible golf facilities particularly the Chandigarh Golf Club, the Chandigarh Golf Association Range and the Panchkula Golf Club, he added.

Medical Tourism is also flourishing with local hospitals like Fortis and Grewal Eye Institute have already been granted Joint Commission International (JCI) certification, enabling foreign tourists to claim insurance, while being treated in these state-of-the-art hospitals. Chandigarh also provides the ideal setting for a visiting medical tourist to recuperate, he asserted.

UNI