Source: The Sangai Express / Manipur Info Centre
New Delhi, October 19:
The Ministry of Tourism decided to launch tourism campaigns on 10 different themes including "North Eastern Region including Sikkim" to popularize the culture and natural beauty of different regions, pilgrim sites, and new tourism products like Adventure and Rural Tourism for promotion of tourism in domestic market.
Other themes are Cultural Heritage and World Heritage Sites of India, 150 years of India's Freedom Struggle, Social awareness Campaign against Garbage and Graffiti on monuments, Pilgrimage, Rural Tourism, Yoga and Wellness, 2550 years of Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha, Jammu and Kashmir, and Adventure and Wildlife.
Yesterday, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni launched the 'Incredible India Bed and Breakfast Scheme' to augment the availability of rooms for tourists.
Under the scheme, the house owners can offer up to 5 rooms or 10 beds with good comfortable beds, working space, air-conditioning facilities as well as attached western toilets.
The house owner will be required to provide Indian/ continental breakfast to the guests and display the rates to be charged for rooms as well as break-fast.
Interested house owners will have to apply in the prescribed application form to the Regional Director, India Tourism offices and local offices of India Tourism.
In the press conference held here yesterday, the Minister said that the Ministry had given a special thrust to improving the quality of tourism infrastructure all over the country.
During 2006-07, 79 projects amounting to Rs 108.57 crore had been approved and special emphasis had been laid on the North East, she added.