Newstrack

11th Five Year Plan recommends 2009 as 'Visit India' year

Promote India as year-round destination

Jyoti Koul - New Delhi

The Eleventh Five Year Plan, while underlining its marketing and publicity game-plan for the tourism sector, has recommended that the year 2009 be declared as Visit India Year. Sources from the Planning Commission revealed that the ministry of tourism had agreed to this initiative but has demanded some time before announcing it.

Declaring 2009 as 'Visit India' year just before the Commonwealth Games will help boost inbound tourism in India. The idea is that the campaign should convey India as a year-round destination.

The strategy is also to promote India in European countries like Italy, Spain, France and Germany in regional languages and in the Korean and the Japanese markets. India should be promoted as a summer retreat in the months of July, August and September when many European and North American schools and colleges have holidays.

When contacted, senior officials from the ministry of tourism declined to comment on the directive. However, one official said, "I do not want to comment anything off the cuff. I need to go through the document first and then discuss it with other people in the ministry and then we can take necessary action."