In a bid to attract foreign tourists to India even during summer months, the tourism ministry has come up with a campaign to develop destinations that have good weather during this time. “The idea is to dispel the notion that India is too hot in summers, and attract tourists from warmer countries like Middle East, South East Asia and African countries. For this, we will focus on lesser-known places known for their crafts, culture and cuisine. It will also help decongest the overcrowded hill stations and manage tourist flow in popular locations,” Manisha Saxena, director general, ministry of tourism, told FE.
So starting this summer, instead of Shimla, Manali, Nainital or Mussourie, efforts are on to develop places like Bir Billing, Kinnaur, Dalhousie and Tirthan in Himachal Pradesh, Patnitop in Jammu & Kashmir, Auli in Uttarakhand, Wayanad in Kerala, Thenzawl in Mizoram and Kurseong in West Bengal.
Under the ‘Cool Summers of India’ campaign, the ministry has, in consultation with respective state governments and Union territories, picked over 50 destinations and efforts are on to actively promote them as tourist attractions.
Talking about the accessibility and infrastructure in these places, Saxena said big hospitality brands will also certainly open new properties as tourist flow will increase in these destinations.
“Super luxury properties and homestay owners will go to destinations where the world is going. This campaign will create a demand for infrastructure and make India a 365-day destination for both homestays and luxury travellers,” she said.
A transformation is already underway. Mizoram, known as the ‘land of blue mountains’, has an AQI between 25 and 39 with an average tourist footfall of over 161,000 pre-pandemic. Former chief minister Zoramthanga had invited tourists a couple years back to come and “breathe clean air” when Delhi and other cities were grappling with severe air pollution.
The Gulmarg gondola cable car ride, for the first time, saw more than 1 million tourists in FY 2023-24. As per the J&K tourism department, the state saw an unprecedented revenue growth, crossing more than Rs 110 crore, surpassing all previous figures.
While India’s tourism landscape evolves, with infrastructure expansion, hotel development, a burgeoning middle class, and accelerated growth of air travel, Jyoti Mayal, president, Travel Agents’ Association of India (TAAI), said: “This initiative draws attention to lesser known destinations and alleviates overcrowding at popular tourist spots. The campaign is poised to attract international visitors and will drive tourism growth.”
India saw a 64% surge in foreign tourist arrivals in 2023, with 92,36,108 visitors between January and December 2023, compared with 64,37,467 in the same period of the previous year, as per ministry of tourism data.
Cooler climes are a natural choice in summer. But popular places like Shimla, called the ‘queen of hills’, are more urban sprawls of haphazard construction, water shortage, overtourism and choked roads in peak tourist season.
“This time, Ooty tops our list of the most searched summer destinations with a 20% hike in searches as compared to the same time last year. Indians are escaping to the hills, with Manali, Munnar, Kodaikanal, Darjeeling, Kodaikanal, Rishikesh, Srinagar and Lonavala among the topmost searched domestic destinations this season,” said Santosh Kumar, country manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia, Booking.com. The portal’s Travel Predictions 2024 suggests 76% of Indian travellers are headed to cool places this summer.
For MakeMyTrip, summer is one of the biggest quarters of the year in terms of travel intent. Rajesh Magow, co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, said, “This year the buoyancy in the sector continues. We are observing a healthy growth in searches over those recorded last year.”
Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh continue to reign. Rajiv Mehra, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), and general secretary, Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), said: “Hotel rates are affordable in the summer so this is one big draw. The association and its members are doing our best to draw tourists from abroad. With initiatives like ‘Chalo India’ and government support, we can do things at a much larger level.”
However, accessibility to most hilly destinations still remains a major challenge. While most destinations have an excellent road network, rail and air travel for the targeted premium visitor is a major concern. Most places do not have direct access to flights or even heliports. Munnar in Kerala does not have an airport, and one has to drive from Cochin International airport, located 110 km from Munnar. Wayanad in Kerala is accessible via Kozhikode airport, located 93 km from Wayanad. The nearest airport to Ziro valley is at Itanagar, located about 120 km from the destination.
Thenzawl in Mizoram is located about 43 km from state capital Aizawl, which also houses the nearest airport, and is accessible by road, bus and taxi. Kurseong in West Bengal is 40 km from Bagdogra, the nearest airport, and can reached by jeeps, taxis and buses. But Saxena doesn’t see this as a problem. “Maximum places listed are well-connected to major cities via roads and national highways,” she said.
Source: financialexpress.com
