In September 2020, Rajasthan Government introduced released Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020 to reposition Rajasthan as a preferred tourism destination for both domestic as well as international tourists by offering tourists a high quality experience.
Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020: Vision
The vision of Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020 is to:
- Reposition Rajasthan as a preferred tourism destination for both domestic as well as international tourists by offering tourists a high quality experience.
- Through responsible and sustainable policies ensuring conservation of natural, historical and cultural heritage of the State while simultaneously accelerating socio-economic development by improving livelihood opportunities for the local population.
Period
The Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020 shall remain in operation for a period of 5 years from the date of its notification or for a period as may be determined by the Government or until substitution by another policy, whichever is earlier.
Objectives:
The objectives of Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020 include:
- Promote Rajasthan as a leading tourism brand in national and international markets.
- Strengthen and diversify existing tourism products.
- Provide innovative tourism products and services with focus on lesser known destinations especially in rural areas.
- Improve the connectivity of tourist destinations through road, rail and air.
- Expand tourist accommodation infrastructure.
- Broad based promotion and marketing of tourism products.
- Facilitate tourism specific skill development to create gainful self-employment.
- Create suitable mechanisms to promote effective interdepartmental coordination.
- Take steps to encourage private sector investment in the State.
- To provide a safe and secure environment for tourists and in particular women travellers and also improve tourist grievance redressal systems.
- To empower the department with suitable administrative structure for extending approvals for establishment of tourism units.
- Market research and developing statistics grid development framework for better policy making and forecasting.
Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020: Salient Features
- The tourism department of Rajasthan will work to enhance existing tourism products and also offer new experimental tourism products like Desert Tourism, Adventure Tourism, Wild life and Eco-Tourism, Tribal Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Crafts & Cuisine Tourism, MICE Tourism, Weekend Getaway Tourism, Religious Tourism, Wedding Tourism, Wellness Tourism, Roots Tourism, Rural Tourism, Film Tourism etc.
- Special tourism zones will be declared.
- Steps will be taken to strengthen tourism infrastructure across state including preparing area based / circuit based tourism master plan, improving cleanliness and hygiene at tourist destinations, improving accessibility for specially abled persons and improving the drainage system of tourist destinations.
- The department will also take steps to improve accommodation facilities in the state. A ‘Guest House’ scheme will be launched to promote establishments offering 5 to 20 rooms. Home Stays will be encouraged and a scheme for their promotion, grading and listing will be formulated.
- Department of Tourism would work towards spreading awareness about employment opportunities in tourism sector and will start an online portal for youth, trainers and industry to interact and exchange information.
- Suitable amendments will be made in the Rajasthan Tourism Trade (Facilitation and Regulation) Act, 2010 and Rules thereof so as to give more functional powers/ Police Act powers to Tourist Assistance Force in order to make it more effective.
- To implement this Tourism Policy, a robust administrative mechanism will be set up in Department of Tourism. A dedicated Policy Implementation Unit (PIU) will be set-up with a nodal team responsible for implementation of this policy.