Rajasthan launched a global campaign to galvanise tourism in the state with a view to raise the annual tourist arrivals past the 50 million mark by 2020.
Unveiling the campaign before a gathering of eminent stakeholders, including leaders from across the tourism sector, the chief minister Vasundhara Raje, said, “Tourism is the world’s biggest industry and Rajasthan with its heritage is poised to fully exploit the opportunities the state offers. Tourism has a multiplier effect by way of creating direct and indirect jobs, which improves the economic status of people across the state. Our plan for tourism is nested within the broader Rajasthan model of development, which has three pillars – job creation, social justice and effective governance.”
The campaign will play an important role in the Government of Rajasthan’s vision of doubling the annual footfall of international tourists from 1.5 million to 3.0 million by the year 2020. In the same period, the government also aims to increase the domestic tourist traffic from the present 33 million to 50 million tourists annually.
The campaign also includes a new website and advertisements in print, TV and outdoor spots which are aimed at attracting both the seasoned traveller and the youth to explore Rajasthan.
Raje added, “This campaign will herald Rajasthan Tourism 3.0. Rajasthan Tourism 1.0 of the 80s was about our landscape, the harsh terrain, and the adventures immortalised by Satyajit Ray on celluloid. The 90s saw version 2.0, with a forward looking vision which included our heritage properties. With Rajasthan Tourism 3.0, we aim to implement an integrated plan that revolves around experience, infrastructure, cleanliness, security and marketing.”
Ahead of the Resurgent Rajasthan Partnership Summit held in Jaipur on November 19-20, 2015, Raje had launched a tourism unit policy which attempts to remove difficulties in setting up hospitality units, especially in rural areas. The state also inked 139 MoUs with an estimated investment of `6277 crores in the hospitality sector alone. These projects are expected to provide employment to about 20,000 youth.
Speaking at the occasion, Dr Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, said, “The scope for expansion of the tourism industry in India and specially Rajasthan is significant. Rajasthan with its rich heritage has enormous potential to attract travellers from across the globe and also create value for investors in the state.”
The launch of a new tourism campaign is in line with the state’s efforts to provide a further boost to the sector and attract more tourists to the state. To achieve this, the state reinvigorated Rajasthan’s famous festivals through PPP model. These include the Pushkar Fair, Desert Festival and Kumbalgarh Festival. New events like the Bhakti Music Festival, Coke Studio, International Photo Fest and International Music Festival have also been added to the annual calendar.
Realising that the tourism sector in Rajasthan has a huge potential to grow, this new campaign aims to increase the number of foreign and domestic tourists visiting the state. Shailendra Agrawal, principal secretary, tourism, art and culture, archeology and museums, Government of Rajasthan said, “Global trends indicate that Asia Pacific’s share in global tourist traffic will rise from 22 per cent to 30 per cent in the next 10-15 years. Through our campaign, we aim to attract these travellers to India and especially to Rajasthan. Even a small rise in this traffic to the State will create tremendous opportunities for our state and its tourism industry.”
Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and creative director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather, which is the creative partner for the Rajasthan Tourism 3.0 campaign, said, “Rajasthan Tourism is the campaign I have been waiting for. It is my home state and I think I owe it an impactful and effective campaign. I am looking forward to the exciting times ahead.”
The campaign also focuses on highlighting Rajasthan as a favoured tourism destination not just during peak periods but throughout the year. The campaign will spread awareness about the lesser known destinations that the state has to offer. In the last two years, the Government of Rajasthan has focused on strengthening the tourism infrastructure by upgrading existing circuits and developing new circuits.
