Domestic tourism gets a fillip
With a view to improving the tourism market of Rajasthan, the state government recently released Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy 2022 and an MoU with UNESCO relating to Intangible Cultural Heritage at the three-day Rajasthan Domestic Tourism Market (RDTM) 2022.
With a view to energize the tourism market of Rajasthan, the state government recently organised a threeday promotion event in Jaipur. The event, Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart (RDTM) - 2022, jointly organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan and the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR), witnessed nearly 9,000 pre-arranged B2B meetings. During the mart, which served as a common platform for interaction and business generation, around 400 domestic tour operators from all over the country networked with 200 exhibitors from Rajasthan, who showcases the power and potential of tourism products such as hotels, resorts and theme parks in the state.
Rajasthan Minister of Art and Culture Dr. B.D. Kalla; Chief Secretary Usha Sharma; Principal Secretary of Tourism Gayatri Rathore; Tourism Director Rashmi Sharma; Apurv Kumar, President, FHTR; Gaj Singh, President Emeritus, Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA) and Bhim Singh, President Honour, FHTR, were present at the inaugural session, along with other senior officials of the Department of Tourism and officebearers of FHTR.
On the occasion, two documents pertaining to Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy 2022 and an MoU with UNESCO relating to Intangible Cultural Heritage were released. Throwing light on the Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy 2022, Gayatri Rathore said that the main objective of the policy is to establish Rajasthan as the most sought-after destination for film shooting. “It will also promote film production in Rajasthani language and create employment related to film industry in the state,” she added.
With a view to promote the tourism sector, the Rajasthan government has announced a comprehensive and inclusive budget for tourism. A Tourism Development Fund of ` 1,000 crore has been announced. The Tourism and Hospitality sector has been given a “complete industry” status, which entitles it to avail the industrial tariffs and levies. All tourism units as defined in the Rajasthan Tourism Unit Policy 2015 are eligible for the industry benefits. The government also offers a Certificate of Entitlement online.
Speaking at the venue, Dr. B.D. Kalla said that Rajasthan can boost tourism with its rich and diverse culture. He noted that the state offers many tourism products related to history and heritage, art and culture, wildlife, fairs and festivals, adventure, wedding and film shoot destinations. “The state government, headed by Chief Minister Ashok Gilot, realises that top priority should be given to tourism and announced an industry-friendly budget in March. Also, the state’s policies regarding tourism are visionary and will go a long way in promoting Rajasthan as a preferred tourist destination,” he said.
Usha Sharma said that the recovery of the state tourism industry has been “very good” after going through tough times due to
It (policy) will promote film production in Rajasthani and create employment related to film industry in state
the pandemic. “Even in April, May and June, increasingly more and more domestic tourists are travelling to different parts of the state,” she said.