Lok Sabha Question No. 5 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-04
Subject: Revival of Tourism Sector in Himachal Pradesh
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5

## ANSWERED ON 04.12.2023

## REVIVAL OF TOURISM SECTOR IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

5. SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  Himachal  Pradesh  is  one  of  the  most popular tourist destinations in North India;
- (b) whether it is a fact that there has been an increase in frequency of incessant  rains  and  landslides  in  the  State  of  Himachal  Pradesh spelling doom for the travel and tourism sector in the State;
- (c) the  quantum  of  revenue  lost  due  to  hotel  cancellations  and cancellations of tourism packages in the last 5 years;
- (d) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  heavy  rains  and  landslides  are impacting  the  tourism  sector  more  than  the  covid-19  lockdown; and
- (e) whether the Government has any long term plan to tackle the issue and keep the tourism sector in Himachal Pradesh beaming and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM                               (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a):  The  details  of  Domestic  Tourist  Visits  (DTVs)  and  Foreign  Tourist Visits  (FTVs)  of  the  Northern  states  during  2018-2022  are  given  in Annexure.

(c): The  Ministry  of  Tourism  does  not  maintain  data  on  revenue generated/ lost from tourism.

- (b),  (d)  &  (e):  As  per  information  received  from  the  National  Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):
- i. The  State  of  Himachal  Pradesh  faced  unprecedented  rains during  July,  2023  which  causes  floods  and  landslide  across the  State.  Following  these  incidents,  the  State  Govt.  vide letter  dated  25.07.2023.  has  requested  NDMA  to  provide technical  assistance  in  conducting  Post  Disaster  Needs Assessment (PDNA) in order to prepare long-term Recovery & Reconstruction for the State.
- ii. The  NDMA  has  considered  the  request  and  constituted  an Expert Group vide order dated 05.08.2023 comprising various stakeholders i.e. Central Government, Institutions and International  Organizations  to  facilitate  the  PDNA  exercise. The exercises were held in two phases i.e. 1st phase (07.08.2023 -12.08.2023) and 2nd phase (16.09.23 -19.09.2023)  to  assess  damage  and  loss  in  13  identified sectors including Tourism sector.
- iii. As per the recommendation of the XVth Finance Commission for  'Managing  seismic  and  landslide  risks  in  ten  hill  states' and earmarked allocation of Rs.750 crore.
- iv. Under  SDMF,  Rs.592.4  Crore  has  been  allocated  to  HP  for Disaster mitigation activities in which central has a share of Rs.533.4 Crore and State has a share of Rs.59 Crore.
- v. Currently NDMA is formulating the Landslide Risk Mitigation Programme (LRMP) and Earthquake Risk Mitigation Programme (ERMP). This program will concentrate on assessing  Earthquake  and  landslide  risk,  it's  vulnerability, implementing  monitoring  and  early  warning  systems  (EWS), stabilizing/ retrofitting and enhancing capacity in this regard. Himachal Pradesh is also included in the proposed programme.
- vi. NDMA has issued two sets of National Disaster Management Guidelines:
- a. Guidelines on Cultural Heritage Sites and Precincts; and
- b. Guidelines on Museums.

Both  these  guidelines  are  very  relevant  for  the  tourism  sector  in Himachal Pradesh.

- *********

ANNEXURE STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.5  ANSWERED  ON  04.12.2023  REGARDING  REVIVAL  OF TOURISM  SECTOR  IN  HIMACHAL  PRADESH  BY  SHRI  RAJIV  PRATAP RUDY. Details  of  Domestic  Tourist  Visits  (DTVs)  and  Foreign  Tourist  Visits

(FTVs) during 2018-2022 (Figures in Lakh) are as follows:

| States/UTs       | 2018    | 2018   | 2019    | 2019   | 2020   | 2020   | 2021    | 2021   | 2022    | 2022   |
|------------------|---------|--------|---------|--------|--------|--------|---------|--------|---------|--------|
|                  | DTV     | FTV    | DTV     | FTV    | DTV    | FTV    | DTV     | FTV    | DTV     | FTV    |
| Himachal Pradesh | 160.94  | 3.57   | 168.29  | 3.83   | 31.71  | 0.43   | 56.32   | 0.05   | 150.71  | 0.29   |
| Punjab           | 445.95  | 12.01  | 473.85  | 11.01  | 166.92 | 3.59   | 266.40  | 3.08   | 260.89  | 3.29   |
| Haryana          | 48.89   | 0.74   | 45.49   | 0.48   | 21.15  | 0.17   | 20.25   | 0.05   | 21.08   | 0.02   |
| Uttar Pradesh    | 2850.80 | 37.81  | 5358.55 | 47.45  | 861.22 | 8.91   | 1097.08 | 0.45   | 3179.14 | 6.49   |
| Jammu & Kashmir  | 170.76  | 1.40   | 161.63  | 0.58   | 25.20  | 0.05   | 113.15  | 0.02   | 184.99  | 0.20   |
| Ladakh           | 0.00    | 0.00   | 2.41    | 0.39   | 0.07   | 0.01   | 3.03    | 0.01   | 5.10    | 0.21   |
| Rajasthan        | 502.36  | 17.54  | 522.20  | 16.06  | 151.17 | 4.46   | 219.89  | 0.35   | 1083.28 | 3.97   |
| Chandigarh       | 15.39   | 0.40   | 15.64   | 0.44   | 4.18   | 0.12   | 2.29    | 0.05   | 30.27   | 0.28   |
| Delhi            | 291.14  | 27.41  | 364.68  | 29.83  | 95.84  | 6.81   | 106.42  | 1.00   | 271.86  | 8.16   |
| Uttarakhand      | 356.10  | 1.51   | 375.86  | 1.52   | 70.05  | 0.41   | 194.34  | 0.09   | 546.43  | 0.62   |

Source: States/UTs Department Tourism ********