Shimla: Understanding the strategies of tourism promotion Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department has taken serious initiatives to promote it, first it was giving discount packages to Honeymooning couples then using ‘art of storytelling’ as a medium to promote tourism and now after a gap of fourteen years it participates in a prestigious tourism event, the ‘Arabian Travel Mart’ at Dubai, in order to woo Arab Sheikhs to come to their soil.
HPTDC has exhibited an attractive stall under the brand, Unforgettable Himachal in the Incredible India pavilion to showcase the tourism potential of the State.
Led by Principal Secretary, Tourism Manisha Nanda, a five-member delegation is participating in this four days Mart at Dubai. Other Members of the delegation include Managing Director, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), Subhashish Panda, Director, Tourism Dr. Arun Kumar, Joint Director, Tourism Dr. Manoj Sharma and District Tourism Development Officer, Kamal Chand.
Manisha Nanda, Principal Secretary HPTDC, appealed local Sheiks to visit the state in all seasons and added that Dharmshala in Himachal Pradesh, which received 2nd highest rainfall in the world, has now become a must visit place and is now popular in Dubai after the hosting of IPL 20-20 cricket Matches. The experience for the Sheiks would be nothing short of heavenly bliss.
The delegation expects an increase in the number of high end tourists visiting from Arab countries. The direct flights facility to Himachal Pradesh is available from Delhi to Dharamsala (Kangra), Shimla & Bhuntar, Kullu, she added.
The event started on 4th of May and will conclude on 7th of May, 2010.
Raised in Shimla and originally from Mandi district, Disha wears many caps which includes being part of a lead team of a fast growing IT company based out of Chandigarh. Earlier Disha was associated with My Himachal and visits Shimla regularly.
Well this seems like free holiday and shopping package for some High ranking Officers ……
Himchal doesnt have faciities high end Tourist specially Oil Rich Arabs always look for Fie star Facilities………….
Good to know Mrs secretary had done her Homework and mentioned about Rainfall …..!!!!!
Before visiting Dubai they should be made to spot check some of the hotels which are in bad shape………..
About Promotions we should focus ourselves towards Euro Countries and for that we can make each and every student going abroad as brand ambassdor of himachal and given some promotion material for university and place where he is working ……………
Cheers
Gr8! Waiting and watching will not fetch anything ! Arabs love rains and they’ve their annual hols during monsoons as the experience in Mumbai tells me.
For fourteen years Himachal tourism was in exile..lols..sure, the officers must have done all this to facilitate their personal visists to dubai as there are other good offers going on in dubai..check out their records..they might have taken family members too for shopping..
And for attracting Arabs..I agree with Vishal Thakur as Himachal doesn’t have professional and infrastructural management to cater high end tourists..Infact Arabs are people who have many preferred food choices…on of them is Beef …will Himachal Tourism provide them? I dont understand who is the person behind all this mockery ? If some typical Arab group comes here..do Himachal Tourism have language interpretors? Who can conversate Arabic..not a single one..
And regarding wooing Arabs, you need to give them lots of things which they want that Mumbai can cater..Good Shopping places..High Class Restaurants with multi cuisine facilities ..not like Himachal Tourism hotels where one orders a simple meal plan or Cheese Prantha that tests the patience of guests and travels through bullock cart to reach the table…
Disha ji, also pose some questions to Himachal Tourism officials as how much efficient are they to deal with even simple tourist queries..Most of these officials always remain behind files and grand plans..dont ever try to know the reality of problems and complications that happen at tourists places..some time taxi unions creating deadlocks at peak of season making difficult for administration to handle..creating regionalism..forcing other cab drivers even from other districts of himachal not to play in manali..making them unemployed…this is the story of Tourism in dark here..
Arabs ko baad me lana pehle jo domestic tourist aa rahe hain unko achi service aur facilities do..Even the domestic tourist has good spending capacities these days.. INDIAN tourists are also coming with good buying and enjoying capacity..Serve them better first !
“Well said” – An eye opening article by Shri Rajneesh Sharma describing the real picture of the Tourism promotion activities by the Learned Officers of the Himachal Tourism. These unrealistic and uneconomical efforts for tourism promotion should be stopped and the responsible should be asked for their result with explanation. Instead of going to Arab world who infect are not interested in Himachal, infect they should have spent their time and energy for exploring the markets of Europe; America and Japan, through the reputed private travel companies who are expert in selling India as a tourist destination by simply contacting them here in India.
They should have taken training from Rajasthan Tourism who are expert in selling their dry sand in the international tourism market.