Chapter – V
TOURISM MANAGE MENT AN D ROLE PLAYED BY
VARIOUS GOVERN MENT AGENCIES IN
PROMOTION OF TOURISM IN PUNJAB
This cha pter is an attempt to portray the management
of tourism in Punj ab and to examine the role of various
gove rnment agencies in promotion of tourism in Pun jab. It
proposes to look into the different aspects of management to
examine the effectiveness of various efforts made by the
gove rnment to strengthen the state tourism.
Management
is
the
social
process
of
planning,
organizing, staffing, directing and controlli ng the work and
re sources for the de termination an d achievement of goals in
a dynam ic env ironment. Accordi ng to Eclectic a pproach
management is “taki ng the best from wha t is availab le”,
means
the
effective
utilization
of
human
and
materia l
re sources to achiev e the desired objectives. F.W. Taylor
defines management as “the art of knowi ng what you wan t
to do an d then see ing that it is don e in the best and
cheapest way” (wiki.a nswers.com).
The
serv ice
re alistically
industry,
avoid
particular ly
e mbracing
a
vision
tourism
of
ca nnot
planning,
organizing, directing, coordinatin g and evaluating whi ch
see ks a comprom ise between a variety of values and interest
in dynami c and complex operating e nvi ronment. Effective
utilizati on and coordi nation of resources to achieve the
defined obje ctive s with maximum efficiency is the task of
tourism m anagement.
167
5.1 MANAGEMENT OF TOURISM IN PUNJAB
The
following
par ameters
have
been
taken
into
consideration to ana lyze the manage ment of Tourism in
Punjab,
 Tourism P lannin g and Development
 Marke ting Management
 Human Resource Management
5.2 TOURISM PLANNING AND DEVE LOPMENT
Tourism pl anning and development me ans serving both
the tourists an d loca l residents. It is a complex process
which considers the various aspects as well as the segme nts
of the tourism indu stry. There are many cha llenge s in te rms
of range and quality of tourism products an d services,
concern about value for money and packaging of assets in a
way that makes the
acce ssible
option
for
region a desirable, affordable
both
international
and
and
d omestic
tourists. T he aim of devising development strategy is to
develop and sustain Punj ab as a major tourist destina tion.
To make th is happen, it wa s essential to ide ntify st rategic
factors
im partin g
appropria te
competitive
strategies
for
advantage s
attai n ing
the
and
to
desire d
build
goal s.
Punjab Heritage and Tourism P r omotion Board (PHTPB ) in
the recent months have taken several initiatives to br in g
Punjab on the tourist map of world. The Unite d Nati on s
World Tourism Organizat ion (UNW TO) has made a master
plan
for
Punja b
in
2008,
which
is
now
in
the
implementation stage . For tour ism deve lopment, UNWTO
has al so made detaile d plans for major citie s in the st ate.
Various
i nitiat ives
taken
by
Department
of
Tou rism
develop the tourism industr y in the state are as unde r:
168
to
5.2.1 Integrated Development of Tourist Destinations
Under the ce ntral finan cial assistance scheme, the
Ministry of Tourism, Gove rnment of India extends financia l
assistance
to
state
for
the
d evelopment
of
touri sm
infrastru cture at diffe rent tourist de stinations in a re gion.
The state gove rnment has made budge t prov isions under
various plans to implement centrally sponsored scheme for
integrated dev elopment of touri sm destinations. The various
projects sanctioned by Min istry of Tourism, Governme nt of
India for integrated dev elopment of tourism destinations ar e
given in table 5.1.
Table 5.1
Details o f Sanc tioned Proje cts fo r Integrated Dev elop ment
of Tourism Dest inatio ns in Punja b, 2002-2 012
(Rs. in lacs)
Sr.
No.
Destination
Year of
Amount
Amount
Expenditure
Sanction Sanctioned Released
1
Amritsar
2005-06
482.8
386.24
484.20
2
Patiala
2005-06
460.29
368.23
462.15
3
Wagha/Attari
2005-06
484.58
387.66
485.75
4
Kapurthala
2006-07
361.1
288.88
Ongoing
5
Roopnagar
2006-07
331.27
265
Ongoing
6
Hoshiarpur
2008-09
397.89
318.31
Ongoing
7
Ludhiana
2009-10
302.43
241.94
Ongoing
8
Bathinda
2009-10
343.9
275.12
Ongoing
9
Bhaini Sahib
2009-10
301.62
241.29
Ongoing
2010-11
474.11
379.29
Ongoing
11 Fatehgarh Sahib 2011-12
423.38
338.7
Ongoing
10 Sangrur
S ou rce: Compiled from Project Documents, Department of Tourism, Punjab
169
Table 5.1 is presenting data regarding the projects for
integrated de velopment of tourist destinations in Punj ab,
sanctioned by Min istry of Touris m, Government of India.
The ministry has sa nctioned these projects during different
years
starting
completed
the
from
2005 .
work
of
The
many
state
t ourist
government
has
destina tions
like
Amritsar, Patia la and Wagha/Attari border. The work of
Kapurthal a, Roopna gar, Hoshi arp ur, Ludhiana , Ba thinda ,
Bhaini Sah ib, San grur
an d Fatehgarh
Sahi b as
touris t
destinations is under progress. The detail of completed
projects is as follows:
 Amritsar
Total estimated c ost of the project was Rs 482. 80 l ac, out of
which ce ntral government re le ased Rs. 386 .24 la c (80% of
the
ce ntral
assist ance)
durin g
2005-0 6.
The
sta te
gove rnment received the remaining amount of R s. 96. 52 la c
(20%
of ce ntral assista nce) late r on. The proport ionate
share of the state gove rnment was Rs.72.00 lac. The details
of project are as under:
1. Environment
Upgra dation
of
Ghanta
Ghar
Ch owk –
Rs.19.21 lac
2. Special Tourism Destination Rambagh and Shaheedi Bohr–
Rs.287.73 lac
3. Tourist Facilitation Centre at Ramba gh Gate – Rs.66.27 lac
4. Punjab Freedom Struggle Interpretation Centre, Gobindgarh
Fort– Rs.108.39 lac
5. Descriptive Signage at Jallianwala Bagh– Rs.0.40 l ac
6. Descriptive Signage Saragarhi Memorial– Rs.0.40 lac
7. Descriptive Signage at Khalsa Colle ge– Rs.0.40 lac
170
 Patiala
Total estima te d cost of the project was Rs .460.2 9 l ac out of
which Government of India released Rs.368.23 la c (80% of
the central assistance) during 2005 -06. The proportionate
share of the state gove rnment was Rs.69.00 lac. The details
of the project are a s under:
1. Sheesh Mahal– Rs.145.77 lac
2. La nd Scape of the Char Bag– Rs.96. 99 lac
3. Shahi Sam adhan– Rs.58 .18 la c
4. Ragho Maj ra Tob a– Rs.28.22 lac
5. Mai ji di Sarai– Rs.8 1.43 la c
6. Quila Mub arak a nd Qui la Chow k– Rs.13.04 l ac
7. City Le vel Signage
8. Environmental
Upgra dation
of
the
Cultural
Heritage
Tourism Trail (Purana Motiba gh C howk to Qui la Ch owk
and
further
chowks/urban
to
Maiji
spaces
Ki
namely
Serai)
in cluding
Samania
Gate
three
Chowk,
Shahi Sam adh, Quila C howk– Rs.3 6.66 lac .
 Wag ha/Att ari
The total e stimated cost of th is p roject was Rs . 484.58 la c
and the central gov ernme nt released Rs.387.66 lac du rin g
2005-06. The share of state government was Rs. 73.00 lac .
The details of the project are as un der:
1. Development at Rajasa nsi village – Rs.43.62 lac
2. Development at Ram Ti rath– Rs.31. 95 lac
3. Development at Pul Ka njari– Rs.75. 30 lac
4. Development at Wagha Border/Neem Chameli Complex–
Rs.123.69 lac
171
5. Development at Attari Smadhi area– Rs.149.43 lac
6. Atta ri In ternal Railway Comp lex– Rs.32.21 l ac
7. Development at Sarai Ama nat Ali– Rs.28.38 lac
(pbplans. pdf)
5.2.2 Development o f R ural Tourism
Tourism
growth
potential
can
be
harnessed
as
a
strategy for rura l de velopment. Punjab Touri sm has started
promoting rural tourism to emphasize rural life of the state,
art & cultu re and heritage of rural locations in villages. The
state government has launched the scheme of fa rm tourism
in
the
rura l
areas
to
be nefit
the
local
commu nity
economically and social ly as well as to enable interaction
between
tourists
and
local
p op ulation
for
a
mutual ly
enriching experience . The main obj ective of the scheme is to
prov ide better opportunities of employment to rura l people
with
t he
assista nce
of
d istrict
admin istrati on
and
to
promote village tourism as a prima r y tourism product .
Table 5.2 presents data regarding the farm hou ses
re giste red
with
Department
of
T ourism
to
provide
accommoda tion to tou rists in dif ferent regions of the state.
The rapid industrialization has forced the people to move
out of villages. As a re sult, pe ople especially childre n do not
know what const itutes a village. The parents are keen to
show their children the idyllic sur roundings of their na tive
villages.
The
living
style,
culture,
cuisine,
customs/
tradition s and the hospitality of rural people in villages is
an impor tant tourist product, wh ich can attra ct a la rge
numbe r of tourists to the state. T he name and distr ict of
farm houses approved as a rura l tourism destinat ion a re
given below.
172
Table 5.2
List of F arm Ho uses Ap p roved as Destinati ons to Devel op
Rural Tourism i n Punjab
Sr. No.
Name of Farm Ho use
District
1
Bharatgarh Fort , Bharatgarh
Roopnagar
2
The Deep Roots Retrea t, Ranjitpura
Roopnagar
3
Jyatni Na tural Farm, Katehra
Ferozepur
4
Mohindra Fruit Farm, Ghallu
Ferozepur
5
Citrus County, Chhauni Farms
6
Casba Far m House, Kha ra r
Mohali
7
Aura Vaseela, Dharamgarh
Mohali
8
Sidhu Farm House, Maj ra
Mohali
9
Green Acres Haveli, Ajnala Road
Amritsar
10
Virasat Haveli, Rajewal
Amritsar
11
The Kothi, Nawa pind S ardara
Amritsar
12
Mand Fa rm House, Badi
13
VIRSA-The Heritage Farm House,
Bakarpur
Mohali
14
Mystic Meadows, Khara r
Mohali
15
Gary Farm , Nanoki
Patiala
16
Mann Makh hi Far m, Tun gwali
Bathinda
17
SRAN Farm House, Dera Baba
Nana k
Gurdaspur
18
Green Valley Farm, Pojewal
SBS Nagar
Hoshiarpur
Roopnagar
S ou rce: Co mpi l e d fr om Br och u re s of Far m Tou ri sm , Pu n j a b He ri t age
a n d Tou ri s m P romot i on B oa rd , Ch a n di garh
173
5.2.3 Development o f Cultu ral Tourism
Punjab is re nowned for its rich culture both within
and
outside
the
country.
Here
music,
folk
d ance
and
dramas are inseparable part of the lives of people. The
people are very fond of organizi n g and partic ipatin g in a
varie ty of cultural fairs and festiva ls throughout the year.
The cultural events of t he state at tract d omestic as well as
foreign tourists. People celebrate each festival with pom p
and gaiety. Punja b Touri sm has organized v arious festivals
and events, which are as fol lows:
Table 5.3
List of F airs a nd Festivals Celebrated by P unjab Tourism
during 20 02-2012
(Rs. in lacs)
Sr.
No.
Year
Amount
Sanctioned
Amo unt
Released
1
2002-03
15
12.25
2
2002-03 Painting Compe tition
0.5
0.09
3
2003-04 Patiala Heritage F e stival
15
14.09
4
2004-05
5
5
5
2006-07 Punjab M ela, Ludhiana
10
8
6
2006-07 Kapurthala Craft Mela
10
8
7
2006-07
Kinnow F estiva l,
Cham kor Sahib
5
4
8
2006-07
Ce le bra tion of Rura l
Sp ort s Me la
5
4
Project
Va san t Craft M ela,
Patiala
Baba F a rid Aagma n
Purb, F aridko t
S ou rce: C ompi l e d fr om Proj ect Do cu me n t s, De p art me n t of Tou ri sm,
P u n j ab
174
Table 5.3 depicts tha t the state has celebrated many
fairs and festivals ranging from Va sant Craft Mela to Rura l
Sports Mela during 2002 to 200 7. De pa rtment of Touri sm
and othe r gov ernmental
tourism
festivals
and
agencies conduct
me las
in
the
a n umber of
state.
The
ce ntral
gove rnment has sa nctione d a nd released require d funds to
the department to organize these fairs and festiv als. The re
is manifold i ncre ase in number of tourist arrivals during
the se fairs and festivals.
5.2.4
Va rious
Othe r
Initia tives
taken
by
the
G overnment fo r the D evelopment of Tou rism
in Pun jab

Development of Village Shambhu (Mughal Sarai) as
Tourist Destination
The
Ministry
of
Touri sm,
sanctioned thi s project
estimate d
cost
of
Government
during
Rs.4 35.88
2 004-05
l ac
with
of
India,
at
the
a
total
fundin g
pattern of Rs.290.58 lac, GOI share and Rs.145.30 lac,
state government share. The department has received
an amount of Rs.232.46 lac (80% of the total ce ntra l
assistance of Rs.290.58 lac ) from Government of India
during 2004-0 5. The remaining am ount of Rs. 58.12 la c
(20% of central assistance) will be reimburse d to the
state gov ernment after utilization of central assi stance
re le ased
for
the
project.
Cont ribution
of
state
gove rnment was decided in t he form of maintenance of
the infrastructure created and cost of Project Reports,
DPRs, Te nder Documents and other office expenses
during
imple mentation.
In itially
this
project
wa s
planne d to be executed by India T ourism De velopment
Corporati on (ITD C) but l ater on Punjab Heritage and
175
Tourism Prom otion Boar d got an d accom plished th is
project. (Pbpla ns.pdf )

Initiativ es for Tourism in Sta te Industrial Policy
2009
The state governme nt has taken some major initiatives
in the field of tourism unde r th e Industrial Policy
2009.
T he
policy
emphasized
on
He al th
Tourism
Produc ts , as de fined by De partment of Health, to be
given
some
special
incentives.
Hote l
projects
as
defined by the Department of Tourism have to be given
the
status
of
concessions
ind ustry
as
and
a dmissi ble
to
to
be
t he
provided
industry.
with
These
hotels projects i nclude restauran ts , amusement parks,
heritage hotels, holiday resorts, e co resorts a nd golf
re sorts, where lodging is availabl e. The government
decided to take taxe s for water supply and power at
domestic rates from F arm Tou rism, Bed & Br eakf ast
Scheme,
Ten ted
Accommodation
units
that
were
fulfilling the guidelines issued by the Department of
Tourism.

Bed & Bre akfast (Home Stay) Scheme 2010
The Punjab He ritage and Touris m Promotion Board
framed the guide lines to launch a scheme in the state
named
as
Bed
&
Breakf ast
S cheme.
The
state
gove rnment has introduced this scheme to e nable the
inhabitan ts of tourist destinati ons to earn addi tional
income through their separable
rooms av ailable in
the ir
‘Bed
homes
and
to
prom ote
&
Breakfast
Accommoda tions’. The aim of the effort is to provide a
clean and affordable place to sta y for domestic and
foreign
tourists.
The
board
176
is
responsible
for
the
re gistration of ap propriate home s after inspe ction and
it
monit ors
qu ality
standa rds
th rough
in dependent
inspections.
Dhaba Scheme
PHTPB has in troduced the Dh ab a Scheme , in which
dhaba owners are to be facil itated to increase their
income. By introduci ng the project, PHTPB had aimed
to
train
dhaba
operators
under
the
guidance
of
hospitali ty experts to im prove hygi ene, qu ality of food,
cleanliness and other se rvice standards. The tourism
department had to recognize these dhabas by issuing a
certificate.
The
department
had
rece ived
23
applicati ons from dhab a ow ners unde r this scheme,
and five of them we re shortlisted. The De partment of
Tourism
organized
the
training
camp
on
dated
03/06/20 09 in as sociation with th e Chandigarh Hotel
Management Institute to train the dhaba owne rs. Pos t
training, the board a nd the inst itute inspected the
dhabas jointly a nd f inally three dhabas q ualified and
certificates were issued to them. The dhaba owners
have shown a lack of interest in the scheme. It has
been observed that scheme has so far failed to deliv er
the desired results.

Incredible India - Punjab Luxury Train
The Ministry of T ourism , Government of Indi a has
sanctioned
this
project
at
a
total
estima ted
cost
Rs.2900.0 0 lac duri ng 2006- 07. Th e funding pattern of
the project was.
1. Rs.725.00
lac
(25%
share )– Ministry
Governme nt of India.
177
of
Touris m,
2. Rs.1087.50
lac
(37.5%
share)-Indian
Railways
Catering Tourism Corp oration (IRC TC)
3. Rs.1087.50 lac (37.5% share )-Government of Punjab
Under this proje ct a Lu xury Trai n namely Incre dible
India- Pu njab L uxury Train h as st arted with a v ie w to
promote tourism in the state. T he train covers the
route ; Amritsa r - F atehgarh Sah ib - Anandpur Sa hib –
Bhatinda – Delhi – Patna - Nande d Sahib - Amritsa r.
The
PHTPB
has
d one
interior
f urnishing.
The
on
board/off boa rd fa cilities i nclude d marketing etc. are
also provided by the PHTPB.
T he government has
initiated thi s much rev ered ‘Panj Ta kht Tourist Tr ain ’
for pilgrims wh o wish to p ay the ir obeisa nce at all the
important sikh gurudwaras especially the most reve red
“Five Takhats” of sik hs.

Scheme for Development of Tourism Infrastructure
with Funds from Asian Development Bank
Asian
Deve lopme nt
Bank
(ADB)
approve d
the
infrastru cture development programme for tourism in
Punjab for Rs.398 crore over ten years in two phases.
The ADB conducted a study t hrough out the country
and selected only four states i.e. Punjab, Himacha l
Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu. Ou t of these
four sta tes, only Punjab and Him achal Pradesh we re
approv ed for the de velopment in fi rst phase, owin g to
the ir readine ss and advance action. The project of
Punjab
included
infrastru cture
Amritsar
and
in
the
improvement
t wo
in te rnational
Mohali.
T he
main
of
tourism
gateways
obje ctives
of
of
the
project we re to provide economic gr owth an d liv elihood
opportunities for the loca l community through the
178
development of tourism infrastruct ure, with a focus on
the preservation and development of the community
and cultu ral he ritage. (pu njabtou ri sm.gov.in)

Eco-Cabs
‘Environment Friendly Eco -Cabs’, a nov el sche me, has
been launched in the state with the since re efforts of
PHTPB. Eco-Cabs are basically rickshaws which are
run manua lly there fore, require no fuel or battery.
The basic idea behind the project is to promote eco friendly short distan ces modes of transporta tion. I t
offers a sustainable livelihood to rickshaw pullers and
gives safe, environme nt frie ndly ri des to tou rists. The
department has introduced Eco-C abs in the city of
Amritsar, Patia la, and Fazli ka.

Heritage Walks
Heritage walk is a tool to discover the uniqueness of the
city by both the people residing in the city as well as by
the tourists. It also triggers many activities, which
relates to the employment generation and conservation
of urban structure and tourism destinations etc. An
agreement
Debashish
was
signed
Nayak,
between
Advisor,
PHTPB
Heritage
and
Mr.
Programme,
Municipal Corporation, Ahmadabad on 14/12/2010 to
develop heritage walks in state of Punjab. These include
heritage walks at Amritsar, Sultanpur Lodhi, Patiala and
Kapurthala (The Legend, 2010- 2011).
Some other mega infr astructure projects re lated to
tourism are in pipeline, which will definitely give a big boos t
to the state’s tou rism sector. Propose d ropeway between
179
Anandpur S ahib and Na ina Devi may emerge as a major
attraction, whi ch can boost the tou rist infl ow man ifolds.
5.3 MARKETING MANAGE MENT
Marke ting
and
publicity
p lays
a
pivotal
role
in
promoting tourism. The state touri sm department is t ryin g
to improve, diversify and expand marketing of the tourism
products
of
the
state,
to
strengthen
existing
tou rism
infrastru ctur e, and to cre ate new infrastructure wherever
necessary. The PHTPB is responsible for marketing and
promotion
of
tourism
initiatives
taken
by
in
the
the
state.
state
Following
government
are
for
the
proper
marketing of tourism.

Tourist Informa tion Ce nters
In order to provide tourists with basic informa tion
re garding tourism destinations an d tourism p roducts ,
the
department
is
ru nning
T ourist
Information
Centers, which are located at d i fferent locations of
prime importa nce in t he state .
have
provided
with
destination
T he visiting touri st s
publicity
literature
besides disseminating ne cessary information to enable
the m to visit the places of interest. These centers also
maintain tour ist’s stati stics and se nd reports to the
Directorate of T ourism , Government of Punjab. The
state gove rnment has established a number of touris t
information centers within and outside the state to
prov ide various se rvices to the tourists and to promote
tourism in the state.
180
Table 5.4
List of T ourist Information Cente rs, Punja b
Sr.
No.
Location
City
1
B-Block, Punjab Bhawan, Coperniacus
Marg, New Delhi
New Delhi
2
Outer Gate, Railway station, Irrigation
department, Amritsar
Amritsar
3 Golden Temple, Ghanta Ghar, Amritsar
Amritsar
4 ICP, Attari Border, Amritsar
Amritsar
5 Cabin No. 2, I.S.B.T -43, Chandigarh
Chandigarh
6
Punjab State Archive, Near District Courts,
Mall Road, Patiala
Patiala
7
Opp. PWD Rest House, Hoshiarpur Road,
Garshankar
Garhshankar
8 Opp. Main Bus Stand, Nangal
Nangal
9
Near water Lily Restaurant, DC Road,
Ropar
Ropar
10
Institute of Hotel management, Industrial
Growth Centre, Bathinda
Bathinda
11
TIC Clock Tower, Near Chaura Bazar,
Ludhiana
Ludhiana
S ou rce: w w w.p u n j abt ou ri s m. go v.i n
In table 5.4, a list of various Tourist Information
Centers at differe nt locations in and outside the state is
given. At present, there
are
eleven informatio n cente rs
working f or the promotion of touri sm in the state.
181

Statistica l Cell
PHTPB has established the Statistics a nd Research
Unit
in
2009,
u nder
the
gui dance
of
DR.
G.
Raveendran, an e xpert from UN WTO to collect the
statistics re garding various aspe cts of Pu njab T ourism
Industry. The main task of the cell is to prepare the
comprehensive
lists
of
accommodation
u nits,
re staurants, trav el agents, tour ope rators, and touris t
transport operator s in the state and the dat a related to
foreign and dome stic tourist arrival s in the state .

Newslette r
Realizing
the
im portan ce
of
dissemination
of
information to the stakeholders, PHTPB brings out an
annual
newsletter.
various
activities
All
ma jor
that
the
n ews
touri sm
pe rtaining
to
department
is
engaged in and import ant tourism related eve nts held
are
highlighted
in
t he
newsletter.
Thi s
newsletter
named as ‘The Legend’ is a unique step in promotion of
tourism
in
Punjab.
T he
boar d
distrib ute s
the
newsle tter among the tourist offices across t he country
and to all tour operators, trav el a gents and h oteliers.
The
aim
behind
thi s
p ublicat ion
is
to
sh are
information on new touri sm prod ucts and i nitiatives
taken by the de partme nt over the year.

Sig nages
For
the
convenience
of
tourists ,
the
PHTP B
h as
insta lled signages at various tourist destinations and
along wi th man y highways in the state. These signages
have been installed at v arious locations within and
outside the citie s to highlight the tourist destinati ons
182
around a p articul ar area. Eight y-nine signages have
been placed across t he state in its ma in h ighways.
These
signages
serve
the
twin
purp ose
of
advertise me nt and gui dance to th e tourists regardin g
the location of touri st spot.

Way Side Amenit ies
Ministry
of
Touri sm,
Government
of
Indi a
ha s
sanctioned a scheme for deve lopment and im prov ement
of wayside amenities in the st ate. The scheme was
implemented
through
Sulabh
i n stitu te .
The
board
drafted MOU with Sulabh to provi de paid toile ts and
other facilities for the ease of tourists. The cities
selected for the scheme include Moga, Taran taran,
Kapurthal a,
Jal andhar ,
Hoshi arpur,
Nawanshaha r,
Ropar, Gurda spur, F atehgarh Sahi b, San grur, Mansa ,
Mukatsa r,
Fe rozpu r,
Faridk ot,
B athinda,
Am ritsar,
Ludhiana and Ba rnala.

Directory of Classifi ed Hote ls
The department has also brough t out a ‘Directory of
Classifie d Hotels in Punjab’. This is for the first time
that the department has taken the initiativ e to provide
information at one place regarding the classified hotels
in Punj ab. T he directory is of great help to both
domestic and foreign tourists.

Print Media
The board has proposed to market the state as a
vibrant,
col orful
destination.
brochures,
PHTP B
posters
and
has
and
culturally
printed
attractive
ri ch
t ourism
different
types
of
tourist
maps
to
create brand image and to publicize its tourism wealth
183
through print and electronic media. All the prin ted
lite rature is sent to va rious tourist informati on cente rs
to make it available to the targeted population.
Participation in Various Travel Marts and Trade Fairs

Punjab tourism has par ticipa ted in different nationa l
and
international
e vents
to
hi ghlight
the
touri sm
we alth of Punja b and to create awareness among the
public at large about Punja b and it s tourism assets.
Table 5.5
Details o f Nati onal a nd Int ernatio nal Event s Particip ated
by Punjab Tourism
Sr.
No.
Name of
Event
1
Organised By
Date/ Place
Activities
Travel Tourism
Trade Fair
South Asia
Travel and
Tourism
Exhibition, New
Delhi
27th to 29th
January
2011, New
Delhi
A very
successful
platform to
highlight the
state of Punjab.
2
ADTOI
Convention
Meet 2011
Association of
Domestic Tour
Operators of
India
25th, 26th
November
2011, New
Delhi
Showcasing the
cultural Heritage
of Punjab and
building
relations with
tour operators
across the
country
3
CII Trade
ExpositionDestination
Punjab
Confederation of
Indian Industry,
Chandigarh
7th to 10th
October
Amritsar,
2011
PHTPB
participated in
‘Destination
Punjab’. The
emphasis was
laid on
investment
opportunities in
Tourism
Table Contd……..
184
Table 5.5 Contd…….
Sr.
No.
Name of
Event
Organised By
Date/ Place
Activities
4
Indian
International
Travel Mart
Indian
International
Travel Mart
20th to 29th
July 2012,
Chennai,
Bangalore
and Mumbai
PHTPB
participated in
Travel Fairs by
giving Cultural
Performance.
5
PATA Travel
Mart 2011,
New Delhi
Pacific Asia
Travel
Association
6th to 9th
September
2011, New
Delhi
The Logo theme
and vivid
representation of
Punjab in
artwork was a
major attraction
6
World Travel
mart, London
2011
World Travel
Mart, London,
PATA
7th to 10th
November
2011,
London
Hotel ISTAA and
farm owner of
Green Acre
Haveli, Amritsar
participated in
this event.
7
Travel Trade
Fair by Fairest
Media
Fairfest Media
Limited,
International
Tradeshow
Organizers
12th July
Farm Tourism
2012,
was highlighted
Kolkata and
and Punjab
26th Aug,
Tourism was
Ahemdabad, awarded with
‘Best Innovative
Product of the
Year’ in
Ahemdabad for
Farm Tourism
S ou rce: Compi l ed fr om Th e Legen d 2 011 , 201 2
Table 5.5 depicts t he list of various fairs and fe stivals,
where
Punjab
tourism
h as
act i vely
participate d.
It
is
observed that Punjab tourism ha s participated in al l the
major trav el fa irs, festiv als and t rav el exhibitions. It is a
re markable effort to explore Punja b as a tourist destina tion.
185
5.4 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGE MENT
Human Resource management deals wi th m anagin g
one of the prime sources of organization i.e. human capit al.
The function of human resource management is to acquire,
train,
develop
and
retain
t he
human
resource
of
the
organization.
The succe ss of tourism ind ustry de pends as much on
the availability of requisite infrast ructure, as on availability
of trained manp ower to work as guide s, interpreters, tour
operators and abov e all to serve in hotels and restaurants,
so as to ensure
a com fortab le and hap py stay
of
the
tourists. Hence, trained persons are see n as an e ssential
re quirement
in
tourism
industry.
One
of
the
main
considerations in promotion of tou rism is to draw a dvantage
in terms of the employment multiplier e ffect re sulting in
creation of addition al employment opportu nities. Tourism
awareness training is req uired for all who are directly and
indirectly
Beha vioral
involved
training,
in
tourism
for
th ose
and
who
hospita lity
di rectly
industry.
de als
with
tourists is considered as an integrated part of the human
re source deve lopme nt strategy.
The Director Cultura l Affa irs who i s workin g unde r the
administr ative control of the Prin ciple Secretary, Tourism
and cu ltura l Aff airs, Government of Pun jab, look after the
work of Department of Touris m. The staff posted at the
headquarters include s one director, one deputy director,
one superinte ndent, one se nior scale stenographer, three
senior assistants , four junior assistant s (senior clerks),
sev en peons, one duplicat ing m ach ine operator, one driver,
one chowkidar a nd one sweeper (Annual Report 2008-09).
The entire staff has been working as regular staff in
186
the department. The department makes a b udget prov ision
eve ry year to
meet the salaries of the staff and other
continge nt expenses such as offic e expenses, medical, re imbursement, trav el expe nses, rent etc. The field touris t
staff cons ists of tourist officers, guide cum clerk, peons,
security guards and sweepers. Most of the field staff is
outsourced from d ifferent agencies on contra ct b asis. T o
meet
the
tourism
other
ind ustry
requireme nts
the
of
process
trained
to
work
appoint
f orce
the
in
suitable
candidates through out- sourcing has already been started.
The e mployees appointed against these posts have been
appointed at various Tourist I nformation Ce nters. The mos t
of the staff in Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promot ion
Board is also a ppointed through out -sourcin g.
The state government has recognized the importance of
tourism in generating employment opportuni ties. Tourism is
a hospit ality- oriented industry so it becomes necessary to
inject
professionalism
housekeeping,
interior
in
variou s
decoration
fields
and
like
reception,
catering.
Punja b
tourism h as taken foll owing initi atives to develop skillful
human resources for the promotion of touri sm in the state .

MOU Signe d between AI ESEC a nd PHTPB
AIES EC
(Association
of
Internat ional
S tudents
of
Science, Economics and Commerce) and PHTPB have
signed a me morand um of associati on and commi tted to
working
in
partnership
to
benefit
young
learners,
members and faculty who have cultural exposure and
practical work experience. The main obje ctive of this
partnership is to b uild an effective, resonant bra nd
image for both of the organi zations and also to provide
with
a
constant
supply
187
of
inte rnational
interns.
AIES EC
wil l
provide
a
minimu m
of
thre e
and
a
maximum o f ten international train ees to PHTPB.
Introduction

of
Hosp itality
Co urses
in
Schools,
Colleges, I.T.I and P oly Te chni cs
To mee t the requirements of tr ained manpower in
tourism
in dustry
generation
Tourism
Rs.200
the
has
crore
a nd
enhancement
Gove rnment
prov ided
per
of
employment
India,
financial
institute
of
Min istry
assistance
to in troduce
of
worth
hospitality
courses in schools, college s, ITI and polytechnics.
Hunar Se Rozgar Tak ( Skill to Em ployment)

Hunar
Se
Rozgar
Tak
(HSR T)
is
an
endeavour
of
Ministry of Tourism, la unche d in 2 009 -10 for creation
of employable skill amongst youth, to reduce the skill
gap in hospitality and tourism sector and to ensure
that the economic be nefit of tourism should reach to
poor. The initiative cove rs 6 -8 weeks training in the
hospitali ty tr ades namely Food Production, F ood and
Bever age Service, Housekeepin g an d B akery. Fol lowin g
institutes are conducting HSRT tra i ning Program:

Institute of Hotel Management, Gurdaspur

State Institute of Hotel Management, Bathinda

Food Craft Institute of Hotel Mana geme nt, Hoshiarp ur

Chitkara School of Hospitali ty, Ra j pura

Chandigarh College of Hotel Management and Catering
Technology, Landra

Rayat
an d
Bah ra
In stitute
of
Hotel
Management,
Kharar

KC Instit ute of Hotel Mange ment, Nawa Shaha r
188

De sh
bhagat
Insti tute
of
Hotel
Management,
Gobindgarh


CT Instit ute of Hotel Mangeme nt Shahpur, Ja landhar
Tourism E ducation in the St ate
To provide tourism e ducation, th e state government
has re cently e stablished two Insti tutes - Institute of
Hotel
Manageme nt
at
Bathinda
and
F ood
Craf t
Institute at Hosiharpu r. These institutions are runnin g
the following courses:

Diploma
in
Hotel
Management
and
A pplied
Nutrition

P.G.
Diploma
in
Accommod ati on
Operation
Management

Diploma Courses on Food P roduction, Bakery and
Confectionary

Diploma Courses in Food and Beverages se rvices
Besides the above, many unive rsities in the state have
also established the Department of Tourism and Hotel
Management
graduation
to
and
provide
tourism
post -gradu ation
education
level.
All
at
these
institutes are pla ying vital role in impart ing t ourism
education and enhancing workin g skills, professional
and v isionary attitude to the people aspiring for care er
on touris m.

Guide Tra ining Progra ms
A large number of tour ists visit Pu njab t hrough out the
year
to
see
and
enjoy
the
temples,
gurudw aras,
beautiful monuments, wildlife sanctuaries and also to
get pleasure from the rich culture of Punjab . Guides
189
play an important role in tourism promotion . They are
re sponsible
for
projecting
the
right
ima ge
of
the
country as well as of the sta te by giving inf ormation,
caring for t he safety of t he tourist s and ensurin g their
pleasant stay. Punjab Touri sm in co-ordination with
various
institu tions
has
be en
conducting
different
training progra mmes for the unemployed youth.

State Lev el Guide Tra ining Progra m s
The Punja b Heritage and T ourism Promotion Boa rd in
associati on with the Indian In stitute of Travel and
Tourism Management organized and executed the first
eve r State Level Guide Training Program in Amritsar.
Differe nt experts trained twe nty-four candida tes over a
span
of
f our
we eks
covering
all
the
major
issues/subjects of tourism sector. This was the first
program of its kind to be organized. The department
has organized the simi lar traini ng progra ms i n some
other districts of the state to deve lop trained workforce
for touri sm sector.

Nature Gu ide Training Program
In Punjab, there are many areas in the form of wildlife
sanctuaries and parks which can be developed as nature
tourism products. To develop and promote the nature
tourism, PHTPB held the Nature Guide Train the Trainer
Workshop on July 2011. The program aimed to hone the
skills of the participants and to short list the best of the
candidates to be trained as nature guides and trainers.
This program resulted in registering of nature guides.
190
Table 5.6
List of Differe nt Types of Guides Available in Punjab
Type of Guide
No. of
Guides
Area/District
Nature Guide s
Chhatbir Zoo, S.A.S N agar
2
Panj Sarovar Guides
Amritsar
1
Heritage Walk Guides
Amritsar
3
District Wise Tourist
Guides
Ropar, Sa ngrur, SBS Nagar,
Kapurthal a
State Lev el Tourist
Guides
Amritsar
10
2
S ou rce: w w w.p u n j abt ou ri s m. go v.i n
Table 5.6 shows dat a re gardi ng the availabili ty of
tourist guides in the state . Punja b tourism has organized
various guide -training p rogram mes a t differe nt times to
prov ide trained guide staff at various tourist destinations in
the state. Two nature guides a re working in S. A.S N agar at
Chhatbir Zoo to serv e the domestic as well as foreign
tourists. The department has star ted the heritage walk in
Amritsar to promote tourism and t here are three guides to
show and explain about t he various destinations comprised
in heritage walk. As it i s ev ide nt from the table that ve ry
limited guide fa cility is available in ve ry few districts of the
state , therefore Punjab tourism sh ould ma ke more re alistic
plans to develop the skillful hum an re sources for the growth
of Punjab Touri sm.

Training Workshop of Tour Opera tors by PHTPB and
KUONI Academy
Punjab
Heritage
associati on w ith
and
KUONI
T ourism
Promotion
Board
in
travel academy organized three
191
workshops, one in Chandi garh an d two in Delhi with t ou r
operators prese nting to the m with, ‘Destina tion Punjab ’. The
first of these workshops was orga nized in Chandiga rh on
May 12 , 2 012 where the re were nineteen tour operators
from all over the state . The second and thir d workshop s
we re conducted in Ne w Delhi on May 26 and June 9, 2012.
The
objective
of
conducting
th ese
workshops
was
to
introduce Punjab t o the trave l industry in a new way tha t
the y could offer to their clientele. Informatio n on initiat ives
taken by PHT PB was sha red with th e audience in addition to
the tourist site s of Punjab.
5.5 ROLE OF VARIOUS AGENCIES IN PROMOTION
OF TOURISM IN PUNJAB
Tourism is a multi-sectoral activity and a number of
agencies contribute to the promotion of tourism in the state.
Some of the agencies which play a prominent role in the
promotion of Punjab Tourism have been discussed below.
5.5.1
Minis try o f Tou rism, Government of India
The Ministry of Tourism , Gov ernment of India provides
financial assistance to the state gov ernment on a regular
basis for strengthening of the tou ri sm infra structure and for
the
de velopment
of
various
facilities
at
tourism
destinations. The ministry provides this a ssist ance based on
specific
project
proposal s
received,
their
priorities
and
merits. Ministry of Tourism actively interacts with the state
gove rnment to identify sites for development of tourism
infrastru cture.
It
provides
financial
assistance
under
diffe rent sche mes. Some of these schemes are as under:

Scheme
for
Product/Infrast ructure
De stinations an d Circuits
192
Development
for

Scheme for Development of Mega Tourist Destinati ons

Scheme for Organ izing Fai r an d F estival and Tourism
Related Events

Scheme for Ce ntral Financ ial Assist ance to Inform ation
Technology

Scheme for Assistance for Large Revenue Generating
Projects

Scheme of Rural Touri sm

Scheme for support to P ublic Pri vate Partne rship in
Infrastru cture Development
Table 5.7
Plan wise Sanctioned Projec ts by MOT, GOI in Punjab
during 8 t h , 9 t h , 10 t h and 1 1 t h Pl an
(Rs. in lacs)
Plan
No. of
Project
Amount
Sanctione d
Amount
Released
UC
Received
UC
Pending
8th
17
235.76
211.29
211.29
0
9th
21
302.79
271.27
271.27
0
10 t h
19
4509.77
3727.16
3166.91
560.25
11 t h
11
5147.19
3214.52
1110.04
2104.48
Source: Compiled from Project Documents, Department of Tourism, Punjab
UC- Ce rt i fi cat e of Ut i l i sa t i on
Table 5.7 displays various projects sanctioned in Punjab by
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India during 8th, 9th,
10th and 11th five year plan. It is evident from the data that
the amount sanctioned for projects increased from Rs.235.76
lac in eighth plan to Rs.5147.19 lac in eleventh five-year plan.
Certificates of utilization for eighth and ninth plan have been
submitted by the state tourism department to the MOT, GOI.
193
There is an increasing trend in the amount sanctioned and
released
in
all
the
four
plans.
The
central
government
sanctioned a sum of Rs.10195.51 lac during the four plans,
out of which an amount of Rs.7424.24 lac was released for
various projects. It is observed that the financial assistance by
central government in the development of Punjab Tourism
mainly raised in the tenth and eleventh five year plans.
Table 5.8
Year wise Sanctioned Projec ts by MOT, GOI in Punjab
during 20 02-2012
(Rs. in lacs)
Year
No. of
Amount
Projects Sanctione d
Amount
Released
UC
Re ceived
UC
Pe nd ing
2002-03
2
15.5
12.34
12.34
0
2003-04
1
15
14.09
14.09
0
2004-05
5
744.78
621.1
560.49
60.61
2005-06
3
1427.67
1234.19
1234.19
0
2006-07
8
2306.82
1845.44
1345.8
499.64
2007-08
1
397.89
318.31
225.76
92.55
2008-09
3
2201.95
848.35
537.34
311.01
2009-10
3
947.95
758.35
237.13
521.22
2010-11
3
1176.02
950.81
106.55
844.26
2011-12
1
423.38
338.7
3.26
335.44
S ou rce: Compiled from project documents, Department of Tourism, Punjab
UC- Ce rt i fi cat e of Ut i l i sa t i on
In table 5.8 year wise sanctioned projects in Punjab
are given. These projects are sa nctioned by Ministry of
Tourism, Gov ernment of Ind ia d uring 20 02-201 2. M inistry
of Tourism h as sanctioned these projects under four heads
viz. Destin ation Developmen t, Tou rism C ircu its, F ast Food
Coun ters
an d
Fairs
&
Festivals .
It
can
be
seen
that
maximum number of projects were sanct ione d in the 2006,
with an amount of Rs.230 6.82 l ac. The total num ber of
194
projects sanctione d during this period wa s 30, with a n
amount of Rs.965 6.96 la c. Therefore, it is evident from the
data tha t the Mini stry of Tourism is playi ng a vita l role in
the
development
and
promotion
of
Punjab
Tourism
by
assisting and guiding for va rious pr ojects.
5.5.2 Punjab State Planning Board
The Punjab State Planning Board works under the
overall guidance of the state gove rnment and is headed by
the
Hon’ble
chairman.
Chief
This
Minister,
boar d
Punjab
fun ctions
as
as
the
an
ex -offici o
Department
of
Planning at the secretariat level and issue advice to other
administr ative departments of the state government. The
gove rnment has divided the work of the board i nto different
divisions.
Punjab Tourism has mainly two sources of fund s, one
is from the state government and t he other one is from the
central governme nt. De partment of T ouri sm receives grant s
from the state gove rnment for different types of activities,
which
are
Construction
classified
and
unde r
t hree
Renovation
heads
(2)
name ly
Main ten ance
(1)
and
Preservation ( 3) Other A ctivities rel ated to Developme nt and
Promotion of Pu njab T ourism .
Table 5.9 shows ap prove d state outlays and act ua l
expenditure of Punjab tourism from 2002 to 2012. In the
initial years, the approved outlay for the state tourism
sector
was
expenditure
ve ry
low.
during
No
this
t rend
in
the
outlays
pe riod
is
observe d.
and
Actual
expenditure was zero in annual plans 2004 -05 and 200 9-10.
A large amount was approved for the year 2011-12 i.e.
Rs.2239 la c, but the actual expe nditure was only Rs.66 lac.
195
It proves that allocated fund s rem ained unutil i zed causing
unnecessary de la ys in promotion of the industry.
Table 5.9
Ap p roved State Outlay s and Ex p enditures for To urism
during 20 02-2012
(Rs. in lacs)
Annual Pla n
App roved Outlay
Actual Ex p enditure
2002-03
85
156.28
2003-04
12
12
2004-05
11
0
2005-06
11
82.36
2006-07
505.35
512.37
2007-08
1825
368.7
2008-09
1529.8
1589.71
2009-10
1927.49
0
2010-11
591
401.86
2011-12
2239
66
S ou rce: w w w.p bpl an n i n g. go v.i n
5.5.3 Department of Tourism, Punjab
The Department of Tourism executes plans, poli cies,
and other p rogram s for tou rism development in the state.
The
main
tourism
in
objectiv e
of
the
Punj ab
so
as
department
is
to
opportunities
p rovide
to
encourage
of
employment and to connect the tourists to the culture of
Punjab. I t commu nicates the plan s and co-coordin ate with
other state gove rnments for t ourism deve lopment. It help s
in
policymakin g
and
designing
packages
for
private investment in the state tourism projects.
196
attract in g
5.5.4
Punjab Heritage
and
Tourism
Promotion
Board (PHTPB)
As the main ve hicle for the implementation of t he state
tourism policy, the role of the PHTPB is to encourage and
promote the deve lopme nt of Punjab Tourism. The board i s
re sponsible for m arketing Punjab as a tourist des tination
within the state, nat ionall y and in ternationally and it also
assists
in
the
deve lopme nt
of
marketing
sk ills
and
initiatives within t he industry. It p romotes and ensures the
prov ision of human resource education a nd training in the
state . Promotion
and
de velopment of
tou rism
products,
services and facilitie s tha t have potential to attract tourists
is one of the main ta sks of the board.
Table 5.1 0
Initiativ es Tak en by PHTPB to Promote Punjab To urism
(Rs in la cs)
Sr.
No.
Year
Project
1
2004-05 F ast F oo d Counter s
2
2004-05 Preparation of CD-ROMS
3
2010-11 Way side Ame nities
4
2007-08
5
Printin g o f Literatu re and
2007-08 Othe r Touri sm Related
Mate rial
6
2008-09
Promotion and Publicit y
of Tourism
Participation in
Exhibitio n in WT M
S ou rce: w w w.p u n j abt ou ri s m. go v.i n
197
Amount
Sanctioned
Amount
Rele ased
250
200
13.57
12.21
651.91
521.52
50
29.97
500
50
20
10
Table 5.10 shows tha t the PHTP B has taken many
initiatives to promote Punjab Tour ism. The board received
financial
as sistan ce
from
bot h
central
and
state
gove rnments to impleme nt the proje cts.
5.5.5 D epartment o f Cultu ral Affa irs, Archaeology
and Museums, Punjab
The Department of Cultur al Af fairs, Archaeology and
Museums, Punjab, in the present form, started functionin g
in the year 1979. The main objectives of the de partme nt are:

Preservation, revival and projection of rich cultura l
heritage of the state in i ts di fferent forms w ith a
particula r stress on the conservation and preservation
of ancient and historical m onume nts

Setting up and mainte nance of museums on modern
scientific lines

Prov iding
financial
assistance
to
v oluntary
organizations engaged in the promotion of art and
culture

Sponsor cultural pe rforma nces wit hin and outsi de the
state .
Variou s
other
ta sks
p erformed
by
the
department are Resource allocation and p riorit ization
of
restoration
sites,
flood
li ghti ng
of
monu ments,
issuing clearances for specific projects like light and
sound sho w, and cultu ral sh ows at monume nts etc.
The
department
has
signe d
a
me morandum
of
associati on with UN ESCO on February 26, 201 1, to develop
a
‘State
Cultural
Heritage
Policy’
in
order
to
impr ove
instituti onal, legal and other frameworks to better prese rve,
manage
and
sustainably
use
its
cultural
heritage.
The
monume nts and museums that a re to be covered in the first
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phase have been identified, and the proposals have been
forwarded to the Government of In dia and the Government
of Punjab .
5.5.6 Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB)
PIDB
is
mainl y
responsible
for
de velopment
of
infrastru cture in the state , inclu ding ba sic infrastructure
for tourism p rojects, transp ortati on proje cts, power, water
and urban in frastructure projects. For tourism sector, it
performs
diffe rent
maintenance
at
tasks
like
prioritize d
road
development
and
tourist
destinations,
co -
ordination wit h central government for ra ilway projects and
coordinat ion of ai r li nk enhancement in the stat e. The boa rd
also assi sted in implementing the l uxury tra in project.
De partme nt of Tourism, Government of Punj ab (GOP ),
through Punj ab Infrastructu re Development Board (PIDB),
has embarke d on a ma jor i nitiati ve for growt h of tourism
and hosp itality se ctor in Punjab . As part of thi s init iative,
GOP intends to set up a world class I nstitute of Hotel
Management at Moh ali. The project is t o be deve lope d under
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Mode. PIDB has retained
Infrastru cture
Leasing
&
Financial
Se rvices
of
Infrastru cture Deve lopment Corporation Ltd (IL&FS IDCL )
as
project
development
a dv isor
for
undertaki ng
project
development including selection of the priv ate partner for
implementation of the project. T he state government is
inviting private sector pa rticipa tion for Design, Engineering,
Finance,
Construction,
Operation
and
Manageme nt
of
Greenfield hospitals at Moha li a nd Bathinda i n Punjab.
De partme nt
of
Health,
GOP
proposed
to
provide
la nd
adjoining district civil hospita ls at Mohali and Bathinda on
long-term lease of fi fty years for d evelopment of Greenfield
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Supe r Specialty Hospita ls. The projects would also offe r an
opportunity
for
healthcare
provide rs
for
prov iding
a
landmark destinati on for national and in ternational health
tourism in Punj ab.
5.5.7 Departmen t of Forests and Wild L ife
The de partme nt is pla ying a p romi nent role to promote
eco tourism in t he state by performing different duties like
proposed
nature
tourism
projects,
track
identificat ion,
carrying capacit y of na ture site s, manpower plan ning and
development, restoration of fore st guesthouses etc.
The ecotourism sites identified by the department are
like Keshopur We tland, Shalla P attan Wetland, Kathaur
Kaushalaya Forests in dist rict Gu rdaspur, Na ngal Wetland
and adjoini ng forests, Ropa r Wetland and land al ong the
banks of river Sutlej, Kukanet- Dehria n Mengarwal-KortPatiala,
Mirza pur
Da m
in
R opar
district,
Perchh,
Seonk/Jayantima jri in Mohali district, Har ike We tland in
Amritsar- Ferozpur, Ab ohar Wildlif e Sanctuary, F irozepur,
Chhatbir Zoo . The department intends to develop e co sites,
create environme nt parks, se t up interpretation centers,
create infrastructure, accommoda tion, facili tation centers,
chalk out trekking routes, expand the lake at Chhatbir zoo
and
introduce d
the
toy
train,
pro cured
equipment
boats, vehicles etc., and se t up information
booths
like
at
strategic locations li ke airports an d bus sta tions and bra nd
building and pr omotion camp aigns.
Conclusion
The state government has adopted many development
strategies to promote tourism in the state. Punjab tourism
department has brought in a number of new tourism products
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and initiated many new schemes for tourism development.
However, the department is focusing more on the development
of
mixed
tourist
destination
circuits
rather
than
giving
attention to a specific or focused tourist circuit. Most of the
projects are based on non-recognition of revenue earning
potential and have become the victims of delays with little
monitoring
department
of
their
is
actual
trying
to
progress.
improve,
The
diversify
state
tourism
and
expand
marketing of tourism products of the state. To accommodate the
needs
of
required
workforce
in
the
industry
the
state
government has initiated various educational and training
programs
with
the
financial
assistance
from
central
government. Regarding the role of various government agencies
in promotion of Punjab Tourism, it can be concluded that the
state government acts as a facilitator by providing basic
infrastructural facilities and promoting tourism by holding
cultural fairs, festivals and craft melas and many other tourism
related activities. The GOI extends its patronage to state
tourism
industry
by
providing
guidance
and
financial
assistance to the various tourism related projects and tourist
activities of the state. ‘Department of Tourism Punjab’ and
‘Punjab Heritage & Tourism Promotion Board’ are two prime
agencies that are working primarily for the growth of tourism in
the state. Various other departments of the state government
such as the ‘Department of Cultural Affairs’, the ‘Department of
Forests and Wild Life’, ‘Punjab Infrastructure Development
Board’ are playing crucial roles in the promotion of state
tourism industry.
********* *
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