'Incredible Himalayas' to ensure tourist visits round the year

KOLKATA: Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) is working with Union Tourism Ministry to promote 'Incredible Himalayas' to ensure round-the-year tourism in the country.

IATO is working with the Union Tourism Ministry on this campaign which will help tourists footfall throughout the year and not just the peak season, Subhash Goyal, president of Indian Association of Tour Operators said today.

Rs 3.5 crore to Rs 4 crore have been earmarked for this campaign, he said at an Indian Chamber of Commerce conference on tourism.

"A map will be released soon which will have all important destinations in the Himalayas for trekking and adventure routes, northeastern states, valley of flowers and others," Goyal said.

A 20-30 per cent growth in the number of tourist arrivals is expected in 2016. Roughly 7.8 million foreign tourists visit India each year of which 25 per cent go to the mountains, he said.

"Countries in southeast Asia and Middle East do not have mountains. For them Himalayas is very attractive," he said.

Goyal said that tourist guides are being trained in Chinese languages, and added "We already have 400 such guides, but by next year we want to have 4,000."