In Brief

Delhi Gearing Up For The Commonwealth Games

Over the past few years, there is a global trend wherein high-profile events like the Olympics, World Cup Cricket etc have been used to attract tourists. In keeping with the trend, India is soon catching up. With the 2010 Commonwealth Games into the India pocket, at least six places along the Yamuna will be selected in the next few weeks and developed as tourist and cultural hubs for the event. These centres would have eating places and entertainment venues for tourists, players and officials who would visit Delhi during the games. The tourism department has appointed a consultant to suggest spots along the river front and other places in the city, which may be taken up for beautification.

Tourism In Karnataka Gets A Revamp

In an effort to augment tourism numbers, Karnataka tourism has announced a Rs 1,000-crore integrated action plan with private sector participation that has been formulated for the development of tourism. This was announced by the Karnataka tourism minister, D T Jayakumar, while union tourism minister, Renuka Choudhary, has promised to sanction a grant of Rs 200 crore every year in this regard. Subsequently, an intellectual forum is also being formed in the state to suggest ideas for tourism development. Representatives from the private sector will be included in this forum.

Himachal Tourism Looking At Salt Mine Resorts

With a buoyant inbound, outbound and domestic scenario, the travel and tourism industry is looking for new avenues to increase tourist numbers. In this regard, a rock salt mine in Himachal Pradesh is being considered for transformation into a health resort. According to sources, if necessary permissions are acquired and with the help of the tourism department, the state-owned Hindustan Salts (HSL), who also owns a 250-year old mine plans to convert the Drang salt mines into a resort.

The thought process behind the conversion is that even though the mines have reserves of 10,000 tonnes of rock salt, one can extract barely 3,000 tonnes, as it is of poor quality and is largely consumed by cattle. Experts in the field also mentioned that three to five days in the cool salt mines not only has a therapeutic effect, but is also the most effective way of treating diseases like asthma. This is due to the fact that the mines are free of viruses and bacteria. It is interesting to note that already salt from the mines are being fashioned into crystals for lamps in homes and they have a medicinal effect.

UP Government Looking At Setting Up Info Centre

In an effort to enhance tourist arrivals as well as facilitate tourists in the eastern landscape, particularly the Buddhist circuit, the Uttar Pradesh government has intended to build the first-of-its-kind modern Tourist Information Centre at Gorakhpur. Plans include a three-storey centre equipped with modern tour and travel facilities that will be set up near the bus stand at a cost of Rs 2.37 crore and is likely to become operational by the end of this fiscal. The Centre has already given a financial assistance of Rs two crore while the remaining sum of Rs 37 lakh would be borne by the UP Government for the project.