Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday said new skills are needed to support domestic tourism as it transforms with wellness and adventure tourism as new pivots.
The Union minister of state for skill development and entrepreneurship was interacting with leaders of the hotel industry at the popular hill resort of Patnitop in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The minister urged them to draw a roadmap for making Patnitop a vibrant tourist destination, taking into consideration its local advantages and resources. "There has been a significant change in the domestic tourism circuit which is pivoting more towards wellness, healthcare and other activities like adventure or sports, thereby triggering a demand for diverse skills and opportunities," Chandrasekhar said.
He said road trips, places with smaller footprints, short-term rentals or stay-at-home facilities have become more in vogue and the hotel industry must decide on the narrative for the destination keeping these changes in mind.
"Tourism is all about human connection. The tourism fraternity must study, assess and deliberate, factoring in the resources and the skill sets available or required, to develop Patnitop as a pre-eminent tourist destination,” he said.
Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emphasis on developing the local economy, the minister said self-help groups (SHGs) could play a big role in connecting the local craftspersons with the marketplace.
"Our handicrafts exports last year were worth about 2 billion dollars and mostly done through e-commerce platforms. So to help the individual craftsperson, SHGs could help as a bridge for market access," he said.
The minister also met students and members of tourism clubs who shared with him their ideas of developing Patnitop. In another meeting with electronics engineering students, Chandrasekhar spoke of Modi's vision of a ‘New India’ and how there were tremendous opportunities available for them in the electronics or semicon manufacturing and design segments.
Earlier in the day, the minister launched a sanitation drive in Patnitop and urged people to keep this picturesque tourist town clean and plastic-free. He also held a meeting with representatives from SHGs discussing with them the challenges they face and the opportunities available around market linkages and capacity building.
(With PTI Inputs)
