Terrorism has not affected tourism: Ambika Soni

Chandigarh, Oct 3 (UNI) Union Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni today said tourism in the country had not been affected by terrorist activities but added that a global fight against terrorism must be launched.

Ms Soni was interacting with media persons shortly after inaugurating the three-day Pinjore Heritage Festival at Yadvendra Gardens in Pinjore, near here today.

She said in India, tourism was growing at a rate of 12 to 14 per cent as against world wide growth rate of six per cent. ''But we must remain vigilant against terrorist activities.'' To a question about promotion of tourism in Haryana, she said while replicating Haryana's famous Suraj Kund Crafts Mela, four shopping festivals had been sanctioned for different places in the country so as to promote tourism.

Appreciating Haryana for promoting tourism in a big way, the Union Minister said that Rs 50 crore were given to the state in the tenth Five Year Plan, which had been spent judiciously.

She said on the pattern of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur triangle, a circuit of Delhi-Haryana-Punjab-Himachal Pradesh could be developed in the interest of tourists.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who was accompanying the Union Minister, said tourism was being promoted in Haryana with the active cooperation of Central government.

An Indian Institute of Hotel Management had been sanctioned at Kurukshetra and there was a plan to set up a similar institute at Rohtak.

Haryana Minister of State for Tourism Kiran Chaudhary said the state government had been getting all support from the Union Tourism Ministry and promoting tourism in a big way including eco-tourism, farm tourism and adventure tourism.

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