Conclave to promote tourism in Himalayan states held

The third edition of the India Heritage tourism conclave was held here Friday with a focus on developing tourism in the Himalayan states.

The event saw the release of the "Himalayan Tourism" report that lists steps and policies taken by 11 Himalayan states to develop tourism.

It was organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and supported by the ministry of tourism.

"The state governments have realised the potential of Himalayan tourism, as they are focusing on activities related to the mountains like adventure, wildlife and eco-tourism," said the report.

"Steps -- signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between states, spending on projects, investment in technology to support regional language, etc. -- are being taken to ensure these are abundantly marketed in their targeted areas," it added.

The 11 states are Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland.

As per the report, the states have realised their assets and are attracting particular groups of people.

Himachal Pradesh is focusing on pilgrimage tourism owing to the shrines while the northeastern states are promoting their culture and heritage.

Experts from the industry held discussions on topics like "exploring profitability tourism destination" in the region as well as "opportunities and challenges" before the state governments.