Return
to Story Page
To print: Select File and then Print from your
browser's menu
OUR ECONOMIC BUREAU
NEW DELHI, Mar 30: Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Tuesday that mindless violence especially in Bihar and North-East was hampering the tourism activities in the country, and urged people and the administration to create an atmosphere conducive to the growth of tourism.
Launching the tourism ministry's cultural extravaganza `Explore India millennium,' Vajpayee said "Safety and security is the first concern of every tourist - both foreign and domestic. That is why it saddens me to see so much violence in many of our potential tourist places,".
``Bihar, for instance, has so much to offer to different types of tourists. Similarly, the North-eastern states are so beautiful However, owing to the senseless violence in these places, the number of tourists going there is insignificant. Creation of an atmosphere of peace and normalcy would greatly aid their economic development, besides generating new employment opportunities ''.
He said the truth of this assertion had been seen in the resumption oftourism in the Kashmir Valley as after long years of violence and desolation, tourists were returning to Srinagar and Baramullah and the state's income was increasing.
``Improved infrastructure, better law and order situation, effective publicity, affordable facilities and courteous services- all these need our focused attention'', the Prime Minister said.
Vajpayee said India should especially aim at increasing the tourist flow from Saarc countries. The campaign must also aim at giving a major fillip to domestic tourism by improving facilities for them.
He said his government was committed to the promotion of sustainable and healthy tourism as a matter of high priority. A national tourism advisory council comprising representatives from both government and industry to advise the ministry on various policy issues. A group of ministers headed by the tourism minister and a standing committee of secretaries under the cabinet secretary had been constituted to coordinate tourism development, headded.
Ananth Kumar in his opening address said tourism needed to be put on the national agenda and his ministry was taking steps towards this, the first being the explore India programme.
He said an eight per cent increase in tourist arrivals was the aim of the government. At present around 2.3 million people come to the country every year.
Explore India, from April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2000 will offer visitors special packages, special events and improved services.
Many events such as the Khajuraho millennium and 300 years celebration of the Khalsa are being highlighted during explore India. Two states will be focussed each month, beginning with Assam and Punjab in April.
Heritage hotels will offer tourists a 40 per cent discount from April to October. Cricket, polo, golf tournaments are planed. Katchal, an island in the Andamans and Nicobar, is being promoted as the first rays of the millennium in this region will fall there.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from Net Express located at http://www.expressindia.com. Net Express provides a portal to India, with news from The Indian Express and The Financial Express along with sites on travel and tourism, the entertainment industry, the power sector, the environment and much more.
------------------------------------------------------------