Anmol Gagan Mann, Minister, Tourism and Culture, Punjab
The Punjab government’s impetus is to take tourism forward and showcase Punjab’s diversity to the world. A plethora of historical tourist attractions abound in Punjab and combined with its rich heritage and vibrant culture, Punjab can be a major destination for tourists both from India and overseas.
This is the land of maharajas and warriors, and many of the places and forts of the bygone era still exist. For example, the Gobindgarh Fort of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and even his Summer Palace stand with pride even today. It is interesting to see such splendid heritage and know the history of its creation. The world must know about Sikh history, heritage, and the sacrifices of the warriors.
Punjab’s many festivals – Teej, Lohri, Basant, and Baisakhi, to name some are celebrations that mirror the farming ethos and its spirit. Bhangra, the traditional dance of Punjab, revolves around and replicates a farmer’s daily life. Our old songs and instruments have different tunes and tones. The local Punjabi food is classic and well known. The produce from our farms and dairy is super fresh and full of flavours. We invite people to come and taste our fresh desi ghee, makkhan, sarso ka saag, makke di roti, gurr and shakkar, etc. Our farms and villages still maintain their original ethos.
We are creating new experiences for people to come and stay at our farms, try organic food, stay in an open atmosphere, and learn and experience village life. Locals here still enjoy their village life and our countryside air is so fresh. So this is the time to show the world how unique Punjab is, and everyone is welcome to Punjab.
Stakeholders interested in investing in Punjab’s tourist sector can get in touch with me as I oversee both the tourism and investment promotion departments. We seek to develop cutting-edge tourism projects. I assure you that Punjab today has a single window system and is devoid of corruption. You don’t need to keep running from pillar to post for NOCs and the processes will be smooth. Our new government has dedicated people who take pride in Punjab, and our department is working hard to establish Punjab as a top-of-mind travel destination.