The Rajasthan government is all set to unlock the tourism potential of lesser-known places as it has identified two sites in selected districts for their development as new tourism sites.
The sites are being developed in various districts, including Alwar, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Bundi, Bharatpur, Banswara, Dausa, Dungarpur, Jodhpur, Jhalawar, Jalore, Jhunjhunu, Karauli, Nagaur, Sirohi, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jaipur, at a cost of 70.06 crore.
An official said the move will transform the tourism landscape of the state which offers a range of tourism sites, from desert to hill station. “Two tourist destinations have been identified in districts and development work has started through the Tourism Development Fund,” Gayatri Rathore, principal secretary, tourism, said. She said new tourist places will be developed and the benefits of the tourism industry will be available district-wise in the state.
Director of the tourism department, Rashmi Sharma said work is going on at a fast pace to promote tourism in the state. “The tourism department is working in coordination with other government departments like forest, archaeology and Public Works Department for the development of tourism sites,” she said.
“Rajasthan is not just about forts and places, many more sites are there in the state which has great potential to be developed as tourist attractions,” another official said. There has been a record arrival of tourists on extended weekends and New Year, particularly in Jaipur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer which has necessitated development of facilities for tourists, Gaurav Bhatt, a tourist guide, said.
In August, Udaipur witnessed a record surge in the number of tourists. Deputy Director of the tourism department in Udaipur, Shikha Saxena said Udaipur continues to be a top destination, drawing visitors from all over to enjoy its natural beauty and serene lakes.
“This year has been quite eventful for Udaipur in terms of tourism. In January, 1,80,000 domestic tourists and 14,215 foreign guests visited,” she said. She said 1,60,567 tourists flocked to the lake city in the monsoon season. Among them, 1,51,300 were domestic tourists, while 9,267 were foreigners.