Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for Uttarakhand to become a year-round tourist destination. He wants to take steps to make sure the state doesn’t have an “off-season” for tourists. Currently, many people visit Uttarakhand during the summer months of March, April, May, and June, but interest drops after that, leaving hotels and home stays empty throughout winter. This seasonal tourism harms the local economy and the environment, Modi explained during an event in Uttarkashi to promote winter tourism.
Modi suggested a “360-degree approach to tourism,” which would create jobs for local youth all year and help the state reach its economic potential. “When the rest of the country is foggy in winter, Uttarakhand enjoys sunshine,” he noted, encouraging the promotion of “Gham Tapo Tourism” (which means basking in the sun). He also encouraged businesses to hold meetings and events in the area to boost winter tourism.
During his speech, Modi talked about the ongoing projects by both the central and state governments to improve tourism. These include the all-weather Char Dham road, modern expressways, and upgrades to rail and air services. He also mentioned two new ropeway projects for Kedarnath and Hemkund, which recently received approval. The Kedarnath ropeway will make travel from Sonprayag to Kedarnath much faster, cutting the journey from 8-9 hours down to just about 30 minutes. The total cost for both ropeway projects is ₹6,811 crore and should be finished in about 4 to 6 years.
The number of people visiting the Char Dham Yatra has increased from 1.8 million per year before 2014 to about 5 million now. This year, the budget includes funding to develop 50 tourist spots, which will improve facilities and create more jobs.
PM Modi also talked about the Vibrant Village Programme launched in 2023 to help develop certain villages along India’s northern border, calling them the “first villages” of the country now. He stressed the importance of new homestays in boosting tourism and helping local families earn more money. Those who build homestays can benefit from financial support under the Mudra Yojana program.
He concluded by kicking off a trek and bike rally from Harsil to the tribal village of Jadung to help promote tourism in border areas. Modi reassured that efforts are being made to make these places livable again, especially the village of Jadung, which was evacuated during the 1962 India-China war. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami added that winter tourism is important for many families during the Char Dham Yatra and highlighted that new winter tours are being started thanks to Modi’s guidance.
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