Uttarakhand sees Rs 5,500 crore tourism projects following new policy, says Dhami

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that training in sectors such as tour guides, naturalists, tour managers and street food vendors is providing employment opportunities for youth. Following the introduction of the new tourism policy, more than 207 investors have projects worth over Rs 5,500 crore underway in the State. He stated this in the Uttarakhand @25 – Festival of Adventure, Spirituality and Unique Culture organisded by the Tourism department at the Himalayan Cultural Centre in Dehradun on Monday. He unveiled the logo for the upcoming Ultra Marathon and released the Throne of the Gods coffee table book prepared by the department. He presented awards to winners of the photography competition and recognised outstanding homestay operators from 13 districts. The CM also honoured astro tour guides and tour managers across the State. Selected mountaineers who successfully climbed Kala Nag peak and a 13-member ITBP team were also awarded by the Tourism department. He said that all-weather roads are being constructed in previously inaccessible areas and digital infrastructure is expanding across the State. He highlighted initiatives supporting startups and self-employment in villages, noting that programmes like the Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Tourism Self-Employment Scheme and Deendayal Upadhyay Homestay Scheme have helped thousands of youth become self-reliant. Tourism and hospitality skill development programmes have trained over 8,000 youth. Dhami said activities for winter tourism have begun in areas such as Winter Char Dham, Jadhung, Darma Valley and Panchachuli Base Camp. He emphasised that Uttarakhand is developing as a centre for adventure tourism alongside religious tourism, with paragliding, trekking, river rafting and mountain biking offering new opportunities for youth. He added that astro tourism, Wed-in-Uttarakhand and spiritual destination development are shaping the State’s tourism strategy. Religious sites including Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Haridwar, and Rishikesh remain central to both regional and national religious activity. He said that tourism achievements include selecting villages like Jakhol, Harshil, Supi and Gunji as best tourism villages in 2023 and 2024. In 2024-25, the International Centre for Responsible Tourism awarded Uttarakhand for skill development in responsible tourism.