Chandigarh admn mulls virtual tours, aerial safari to boost tourism
Chandigarh’s tourism department has planned a “Swadesh Darshan” of Chandigarh’s tourist spots, including virtual tours of the Capitol Complex and an aerial safari of Rock Garden, starting in February next year
To boost tourism’s contribution to the economy, the UT tourism department has planned a “Swadesh Darshan” of Chandigarh’s tourist spots, including virtual tours of the Capitol Complex and an aerial safari of Rock Garden, starting in February next year.
The department has engaged a project development and management consultant (PDMC) under the Union ministry of tourism’s Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme.
Chandigarh’s key tourist destinations include the Capitol Complex, Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Bird Park, Indian Air Force Heritage Centre, and Government Museum and Art Gallery in Sector 10. Chandigarh, known as the City Beautiful, attracts 30,000 international tourists and 1.2 million domestic tourists annually.
During the UT administrator’s advisory council meeting held on August 18 last year, the department had shared plans to boost tourism in response to a query raised.
In the action-taken report readied now, the department has stated that under the marketing and digitalisation component of the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme, theme-based lighting and promotion of museums will be carried out in the city, with funds provided by the ministry of tourism.
The department also mentioned that the inception report on the development and promotion of tourism, and the challenges faced by the city had already been submitted to the ministry of tourism.
The proposed initiatives include a virtual tour of the Capitol Complex using AR/VR technologies, a human-scale model of the Capitol Complex cafeteria on the first floor, and battery-operated cars for specially abled and elderly visitors.
For the Rock Garden, proposals include improving the entry and ticket window, redesigning or relocating the souvenir shop, pond oxidation, creating a rock museum, introducing an aerial safari, adding a theme-based rock café, and establishing a succulent garden. At Sukhna Lake, water stations have been proposed for visitors.
Regarding museums, the department proposed adding AR/VR immersive experiences, improved signage and audio and video guides, a separate ticket window, and visible signage (for the IAF Heritage Centre), with the condition that the museum’s façade should remain unchanged.
To further promote tourism in the city, the UT administration is also preparing a tourism policy, which will include inter-state tourism programmes like trade fairs and exhibitions. The policy will be based on the 7-S mantra: Swaagat (welcome), Soochanaa (information), Suvidhaa (facilitation), Surakshaa (security), Sahyog (cooperation), Sanrachnaa (infrastructure), and Safaai (cleanliness).
Tourism dept failed to draw up plan to promote city: Audit
In a report, the principal director of audit, Chandigarh, had previously pointed out the Chandigarh tourism department, tasked with developing a detailed action plan and implementing effective governance to promote tourism in the city, failed to do its job.
While a tourism policy is being drafted, it remains unfinished. The audit, which reviewed records from 2018 to 2023, noted that the 20-year Perspective Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development in Chandigarh (2003) called for a comprehensive approach due to the complexity of tourism, involving multiple sectors and stakeholders. Despite this, the department did not prepare the necessary action plan, performance indicators, or guidelines for tourism-related events.
“Considering that tourism is impacted by multiple sectoral policies, it requires a whole-of-government approach. Furthermore, as per the implementation plan and key performance indicators, a detailed action plan and performance indicators in line with the vision, mission and goals of the policy and various strategic pillars should be prepared. The plan and performance indicators should be finalised within the stipulated time to create a baseline for measuring the performance of the policy’s implementation,” the report had stated.
But no detailed action plan or baseline was prepared by the department. It was also observed that no rules or guidelines were framed for issuing permission to organisations, private bodies or others for tourism-related events in the city.