Over 1.11 crore tourists visited Punjab in 2011,five lakh more than previous year

The number of foreign tourists visiting Punjab increased by almost 13,000 in 2011 as compared to 2010.

While Punjab does not rank among the most sought-after places on the tourism map of the country,the state recorded an increase of 5.29 lakh tourists from the domestic sector in 2011 (1.11 crore),as compared to 2010 (1.05 crore).

The number of foreign tourists visiting Punjab increased by almost 13,000 in 2011 as compared to 2010. While the increase in the number of foreign tourists is much smaller,for Punjab it is reason to cheer. This is because in percentage terms,the state recorded an increase of 9.4 per cent in the number of foreign tourists,from 1.37 lakh in 2010,to 1.5 lakh in 2011.

The percentage increase in the number of domestic tourists was 5 per cent.

The statistics have been collected by Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) over the last two years. The figures available in the department before 2010 are not reliable,and hence cannot be regarded as a correct representation of tourist inflow into the state.

Punjab Principal Secretary Tourism Geetika Kalha said that in 2008,World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) prepared a Tourism Development Master Plan for the state. The master plan recognised the need for tourism statistics and market research to assess the volume and distribution of tourists in the state.

Accordingly,Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board established its Statistics & Research Unit in November 2010 for regular collection of statistics on various aspects of tourism. The unit is working on a hotel directory and compiling information on tourist places,travel agents and tour operators in the state.

Punjab is one of the four states chosen for the ADB development loan for tourism sector. Some of the recent initiatives of the Punjab Tourism Department have been farm tourism,Sikh circuit,freedom trail,luxury train,capacity building and tourist information centres.

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