Himachal Pradesh and Goa will collaborate to increase tourism through mutual cooperation, an official release here said on Monday. Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, CM of Himachal Pradesh, met Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant on Sunday and discussed ways to promote tourism of both states.
“Issues related to Himachal’s development, the promotion of tourism and trade in both states, and the prevention of drugs and intoxicants were also discussed,” an official statement said. Stressing a joint strategy, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that “Himachal and Goa are the best tourism states in India and have tremendous potential to become a combined unique destination for the world, thereby boosting the economy and providing more job opportunities to their people.”
“A wide range of tourist-specific packages interlinking both states will be designed, which will enhance foreign and domestic tourist influx in both states,” he said.
CM Sukhu also mentioned creating a specific mechanism for promoting tourism.
“Both states will also work on evolving a mechanism for specific purposes in the areas of tourism and trade,” he said.
The leaders also discussed having a series of marine-mountain-themed science workshops and events exchange programmes between the students of both states in the future to understand the marine and mountain ecosystems better.
Earlier, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also met with Union Minister of Tourism G. Kishan Reddy in the national capital and urged him to include the places of tourist interest in the state under Swadesh Darshan Yojna II in the next phase.
The chief minister apprised the tourism minister that the state is blessed with immense tourism potential, which includes water bodies (reservoirs), religious destinations, a lot for adventure lovers, and striking mountain ranges. The Chief Minister also advocated for including the state in the development of heritage sites.