Tourism = Investment = growth; Punjab goes all in on a hefty new gamble

The golden triangle of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur. God’s own country Kerala. Sunny state Goa. Then there are the Buddhist and Hindu trails of Sanchi and Varanasi, respectively. Throw in some hill destinations here and there, and is that it, when it comes to India’s must-do tourism destinations? Not too ‘incredible’ for a nation as wide and varied as India, isn’t it?

Punjab intends to do something about it.

The AAP-ruled northern frontier state well known for its valour and being bread basket to the country, also has an oversized soft power influence — its cuisine, entertainment, culture and joie de vivre is often the go-to when it comes to global representation of anything Indian. But if you count out the diaspora, it was not as if this ensured that tourists, both foreign and domestic, made a beeline to the land of five rivers.

“Punjab has great scope. We are reimagining our land’s tourism,” said Anmol Gagan Mann, Punjab’s tourism minister, as she concluded a four-city roadshow to promote the state as a tourist destination. Travel industry’s who’s who has been invited over to a grand tourism summit and travel mart in Mohali next month, too.

“Punjab is dedicated to enhancing tourism, creating opportunities for both inbound and domestic visitors,” she added, “Our initiatives aim to elevate the state’s reputation with business-friendly policies and captivating tourist attractions.”

And true to its large-hearted image, the strategy is to have it all, instead of focusing on any specific theme or demographic. With the catchphrase ‘World begins here’, Punjab Tourism’s promotional focuses on anything from archaeology (Harappa) to mythology (Pandava caves in Pathankot), religious (Ram Thirat Sthal, besides the entire Sikh circuit), heritage (forts, palaces), historic (freedom fighters and places like Jallianwala Bagh) and more. To cater to the activity-minded new-get, there are a host of further attractions being readied, from bird watching in wetlands, adventure sports etc.

Of course, there are some USPs the state is counting on. This includes the fact that the Attari check-post, with its famous evening beating retreat, is only one of the three international border checkposts in the state, and offers immense scope for further developing them as attractions. Farmstays, eco-tourism and farm-to-table experiences to capitalise on the state’s massive agrarian lifestyle, and a devotional circuit comprising of gurudwaras and Virasat-e-Khalsa, the museum of the Sikh religion and already the most visited museum in Asia, all do promise to be unique in their own.

Punjab Tourism does not intend to stick only to what it has. There are grandiose plans for anything from building up a wellness industry from scratch, with ayurvedic spas and resorts, to developing a Disneyland-like destination that will attract conventional business. After wooing filmmakers through a digitised online procedure for getting permission for film shoots, the Mann government is also planning to raise Amritsar as a wedding destination, as well. In the works, is a Unity Mall in Amritsar.

For Punjab, the aim to build up a tourism industry from scratch is very much a part of a multi-pronged strategy to improve the state’s finances — once India’s richest and today not even in the top ten. Tourism equals investment equals popular interest, the logic goes. The state’s ruling dispensation has also smartly hit upon the gap between the state’s overwhelming influence on anything from Indian cinema to music to food to culture and the fact that it is not similarly reflected by a tourism influx. 

The state would also be inspired by the Gujarat story. The arid state known for its dry status and business-focused culture went in for a tourism blitz around 2009 when Narendra Modi was CM. Roping in Amitabh Bachchan as brand ambassador and a campaign with the unforgettable tagline of ‘Khushboo Gujarat ki’, the seemingly uninviting state saw hordes of visitors streaming in, taking in anything from the desolate beauty of Kutch’s salt pans to the Gir lions to, later, even the Statue of Unity. Will Punjab with its ‘World begins here’ tagline be able to replicate the feat?