Punjab extends new incentives under new industrial policy to tourist sector: Phillaur

Chandigarh, November 13, 2013: Punjab government has taken concrete steps to flourish tourism in the state and results are visible from the Statistics of the India Tourism-2012. As per the India Tourism Statistics-2012, Punjab have crossed Himachal Pradesh and as well as Goa in domestic tourist visits. Domestic Tourist Visits to Punjab during 2012 are 68.8% of the State population.
Divulging this here today, Sarwan Singh Phillaur Cultural Affairs Minister said that our tourist inflow is on rise. During the last four years, our domestic tourist visits increased from 54 lakhs in 2009 to 105 lakhs in 2010, to 164 lakhs in 2011, to 191 lakhs in 2012. The increase of the tourists in 2012 over 2011 has been recorded at 15%. The foreign tourist visited during 2012 was 1.43 lakhs and is on the increase in 2013.
Minister said that the quick estimates for the year 2013 (from January to June, 2013) reveals a big increase in both domestic tourist visits (111 lakhs) and the foreign tourist visits 1.08 lakhs) in the State.
Phillaur said that that the State Government’s policies/actions are stimulant to attract more tourists to the State by extending incentives under new Industrial Policy to the tourist sector. He further said that tourism industry IN Punjab has emerged as the second largest employment generator at national level in the state.
He added that to further enhance the tourism potential of the State, different stakeholders-sectors like hospitality, transport, aspiring artists, handloom and handicrafts etc. are given the boost by the State Government. Hotel projects, the main source of accommodation for the tourists in the state have been declared ‘Industry’ under the Industrial Policy.