The Hindu Business Line : `Tourism set to account for 35% of Uttaranchal GDP in 5 yrs'

THE Uttaranchal Government is going all out to ensure that the tourism sector contributes to around 35 per cent of the State's gross domestic product within the next five years.

At present, tourism sector accounts for 20 per cent of Uttaranchal's GDP, according to Mr A.K. Ghosh, Additional Secretary in the State's Department of Tourism and Additional Chief Executive Officer of Uttaranchal Tourism Development Board.

Stating this at a road-show here on the sidelines of the ongoing `Travel & Tourism Fair, 2004,' Mr Ghosh said the State Government had accorded industry status to tourism sector and it was all set to emerge as a major employment generator.

With a view to encouraging private sector investment, the State Government has announced several sops such as concessional financing packages, income-tax exemption for five years, capital expenditure subsidy, etc. The focus would be on developing eco and adventure tourism.

A Rs 400-crore master plan has been prepared to develop lesser-known hill stations. An Institute of Eco Tourism would be set up to train villagers to boost community-based tourism.

Already, the "stated investments" in the tourism sector in Uttaranchal have been pegged at Rs 1,800 crore and these were expected to be implemented in the coming years.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Asian Hotels group for the development of 803 acres of land outside the Corbett National Park at an investment of Rs 512 crore. Twenty-four global majors have submitted "expressions of interest" to develop a "world class high-end spa and reserve" on a 172-acre plot outside Mussorie. The Taj Group has agreed to set up four budget hotels in the state.

A corpus of Rs 38 crore has been earmarked to market Uttaranchal as a tourist destination both within the country and abroad. The Germany-based Tourism Management Group International has been appointed to promote and market the tourist attractions in potential markets overseas.

According to Mr Ghosh, Uttaranchal has been ranked No 4 by the Union Government in terms of tourist arrivals in different States. In 2003-04, the State attracted 13 million domestic tourists, up from 96 lakh in 2001-02. The number of foreign tourists visiting the State has gone up from 44,000 in 2001-02 to 64,000 in 2003-04, he said.

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