Uttarakhand Expands River Rafting Routes to Boost Adventure Tourism
In an interview with FinancialExpress.com, Mr Satish Bahuguna reiterated the immense scope of adventure tourism in Uttarakhand. “We are a pioneer in whitewater river rafting,” he said, “but now the state has decided from the last couple of years to open up different stretches of different rivers for rafting. These are giving a very phenomenal experience to the guests in the entire state.”
Mr Bahuguna spoke about how the youth of Uttarakhand are being provided special training in paragliding. “The Government is trying to have more training aspects for all these paragliders. And new sites like in Bhimtal, Pauri, Tehri, are being identified.”
Angling and Rafting: Unlocking Eco-Tourism and Employment in Uttarakhand
He also spoke about the lesser-known sport of angling, which has huge scope. “Pancheshwar is one of the destinations which attracts many foreign visitors. They come and catch the mahseer here, which is then released back into the river,” he explained. The Nayar Valley in Pauri Garhwal is also excellent for angling. “The Government is now focusing on more training aspects for all the youth, so that employment generation can happen and migration can be reversed,” he added. Rafting in Rishikesh, for instance, benefits the entire local community, and has evolved into a Rs 100 crore industry.
“When we talk about the overall tourism aspect, we are pioneers in religious tourism and doing good in that aspect. But now we are focusing on other tourism aspects also. Like astro-tourism is one of the components in which the state is taking a lead. As well as in adventure tourism, new sites have been developed and which will be used for different adventure activities in the coming months,” said Mr Bahuguna.
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