Sukhu urges tourism industry to promote Himachal’s lesser-known destinations

Shimla: Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday urged the tourism industry stakeholders to encourage domestic and international travellers to visit Himachal Pradesh and include new and lesser-known destinations of the state in their tour packages.Sukhu felicitated hotel industry professionals, travel agents, tour operators and other representatives of the tourism industry from across the country at the 56th Annual Convention of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) in Varanasi.Highlighting that the state govt is promoting experiential tourism to enable visitors to explore unexplored areas and experience the local culture, traditions, and way of life at close quarters, Sukhu said state govt is giving special attention to strengthening tourism infrastructure.Caravan tourism and weekend tourism are also being encouraged. He said the state is preparing a ‘She Travel’ Policy to establish Himachal as a safe and welcoming destination for women travellers.The process for expansion of Kangra Airport has been initiated, along with a vision to develop an Aerocity in its vicinity. Kangra is also being developed as the State’s ‘Tourism Capital’. In addition, govt has decided to develop heliports at or around every district headquarters. He said that this will not only strengthen tourism connectivity but also support disaster management, emergency medical services and connectivity to remote areas.To promote rural tourism, the state has introduced a homestay scheme and implemented the Home Stay Rules, 2025, providing local communities with opportunities for self-employment.He stated that Himachal Pradesh has immense potential for adventure tourism, including trekking, skiing, paragliding, river rafting, mountaineering, camping, mountain cycling and water sports. Bir-Billing has already given Himachal Pradesh a distinctive position on the global adventure tourism map. He added that the State is equally rich in religious and spiritual tourism.Chief minister said from Jan 2025 to Dec 2025, Himachal Pradesh received 3.11 crore tourists, including 1.6 crore religious tourists. In 2026, up to July, 1.06 crore tourists have already visited the state.