The G20 meeting in Rajasthan has the state hoping to attract more foreign tourists
India’s G20 Sherpa meeting in Udaipur has raised hopes of foreign tourists returning to Rajasthan after it took over the grouping’s presidency.
Rajasthan has long been a favourite with international tourists, ranking among the country’s top five states for foreign tourists. The state had more than 16 lakh foreign tourists in 2019.
According to the Rajasthan tourism department, the numbers fell drastically because of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The G20 meeting should give the state a much-needed boost, now that Covid restrictions on international travel are gone.
The G20 delegates will take advantage of the state’s wide range of tourist attractions during their four-day stay in Udaipur. Cultural performances, art exhibitions, and excursions to Kumbhalgarh Fort and Ranakpur Temple Complex are lined up for them.
However, officials aren’t losing sight of opportunities in the domestic tourism sector, which has been growing 90 percent since last year. In 2020, there were just 15.11 million domestic tourists, down from 52.22 million in 2019.
There are plans to launch helicopter services to places like Khatu Shyam Ji, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, and Sariska, among others, by the Rajasthan Tourist Development Corporation (RTDC). “Discussions have been started to start these services from places with helipads,” RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore said.
