Rajasthan Tourism Showing The Way In Industry's Best Practices

In recent times, Rajasthan has made rapid strides on tourism front and the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (RTDC) is committed to introduce many more pro-tourism sector initiatives that would be instrumental in boosting Rajasthan’s image as a tourism hotspot, says Kuldeep Ranka, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Forest and Environment, Art and Culture, Government of Rajasthan, in an exclusive interview with Kartik Sharma of Elets News Network (ENN).

Having recently joined the tourism department how has been your experience so far?

Tourism is an important sector not only for the State of Rajasthan but also of the entire country. The sector holds great significance since it provides employment to a large number of masses, both directly and indirectly. Rajasthan has always been one State which has attracted a large number of tourists for its rich culture, arts and history, monuments, deserts and sand dunes, forests including its wildlife, among other attractions. Each year, the State receives a large number of foreign contingents of tourists. In short, for every kind of target audience, there is something on offer here. The aggressive marketing strategy followed by the State has further bolstered the sector greatly.

Tourism is one of the major components of State’s GDP and economy do you think there is a need for more efforts to promote Rajasthan as a tourism hotspot? What initiatives your department is taking in this regard?

You are right. Apart from other important sectors of the economy, tourism is the backbone of the State. Further, in terms of its importance in providing huge direct and indirect employment, it rightly figures among the high priority segment for the State. So far, the tourism potential of the State has been tapped by various State agencies. In recent times, the State government has been focussing on renovation and providing world-class amenities at various museums spread across the State. Similarly, at the wildlife sanctuaries, such as at the tiger reserves, similar services are being extended. We believe such steps would further contribute towards attracting more tourists to the State.