Encouraged by the rise in the number of tourist footfalls in the State, the Punjab Government has identified a cluster of four villages in Rupnagar district, on the banks of river Sutlej, to boost rural tourism.

With a 5.29 per cent tourism growth in 2011, the Government has identified four villages of Katli, Bahadarpur, Tibba Tapparian and Ranjitpura Bas to be developed with infrastructure, to provide a ‘new experience’ to the tourists.

The Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister, Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, said here today that the area possessed unique tourism attributes of predominantly rural natural heritage around the picturesque environs of the Sutlej.

Expressing satisfaction over the increase in the number of tourists in 2011, Mr Phillaur said that the prime objective of promoting rural tourism was to bring the visitors closer to the rich cultural heritage of Punjab.

Mr Phillaur said that altogether, 10.11 million tourists visited the State in 2011, compared to 10.05 million in 2010.

An Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry report anticipated the tourism sector to grow till 2019 by 8.8 per cent per year, he said.

As per the report, he said, the sector would develop as the second largest employer in the world with about 40 million jobs, placing India at the third position in world.

He added that the capital investment will increase by $94.5 billion by 2019 in the sector.

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