Panjab University Hosts Tourism Consultation to Reposition Chandigarh Beyond ‘Transit City’ Tag

Chandigarh, February 13, 2026: Panjab University (PU) organised a Tourism Stakeholder Consultation organised by the University Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management (UIHTM), in collaboration with the Chandigarh Institute for Transformation and the Chandigarh Citizens Foundation, called for a strategic repositioning of Chandigarh from a transit halt to a high-value urban tourism destination. 

Themed “Enhancing Tourism in Chandigarh: Beyond its Current Status as a Transit City,” the session brought together administrators, policymakers, tourism professionals, industry representatives and academicians to deliberate on a structured roadmap for the city’s tourism development.

Prof. Yojna Rawat, Dean of University Instructions, PU, stated that Chandigarh’s planned urban design and internationally recognised architecture require structured narrative-building and experiential packaging. She emphasised that the city must evolve from being perceived as a gateway to positioning itself as a modern heritage and knowledge-driven destination.

Prof. Meenakshi Goyal, Director Research, PU, highlighted the University’s role as a Lead Knowledge Institute and underscored the need for research-backed planning and data-driven tourism policy formulation.

Radhika, Director Tourism, Chandigarh Administration, outlined the Administration’s focus on infrastructure upgradation, event-based tourism promotion and enhancement of visitor experience. She noted that coordinated institutional efforts and strategic branding are essential to attract high-value tourism segments and ensure sustainable growth.

Subject experts including Prof. Rakesh Malik (Sports Tourism), Dr. Mohit Verma (Governance), Arun Bhardwaj (Wellness Tourism) and Avita Khwas (Architectural Tourism) proposed curated thematic circuits, promotion of sports and wellness tourism, and architectural interpretation trails to strengthen destination identity.

During the governance and policy session, Dr. Anil Kapoor (MICE Tourism), Dr. Neeraj Aggarwal (Medical Tourism) and Dr. Kalyani Singh (Health Tourism) emphasised leveraging Chandigarh’s convention infrastructure and healthcare ecosystem to attract premium visitor segments.

The consultant concluded with a consensus on building Chandigarh as a high-value urban tourism destination.