March 27, 2008 (Anil Dayal) Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister said that Hotel Holiday Home, a unit of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development
Corporation, would accord traditional welcome to the guests visiting the hotel by applying "Tilak" on forehead with a view to introduce them to the rich culture of the State. He was speaking in the meeting of Board of Directors of Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation, which was held under his Chairmanship here today.
Chief Minister said that State Government was promoting tourism sector in a big way and efforts were being made to create quality infrastructure in places of tourist interest. He said that the State had rich cultural traditions and tourists coming from country and abroad should be made aware in order to attract them to the State. He said that the number of foreign tourists visiting the State was increasing gradually year after year due to the best climatic and law and order conditions. He said that there were number of unexplored adventure tourism spots all over the State which were being explored for promoting adventure tourism. He said that backpacker and rural tourism were also being given big boost to involve the rural people in tourism promotion activities.
Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has earned an income of Rs. 48.97 crore and the expenditure incurred during the year 2007-08 was Rs. 46.25 crore thereby earning net profit of Rs. 2.72 crore.
Prof. Dhumal congratulated the Corporation for earning profit and stressed upon adopting creative and professional approach, which would help in tourism promotion and earning more profits.
Board of Directors approved the budget estimate for the year 2008-09 and a target of earning an income of Rs. 56.30 crore and net profit of Rs. 5.25 crore had been fixed for the coming financial year. It also approved 5 percent interim relief on the pattern of State Government, which would be given to HPTDC employees from March, 2008.
Shri Ravi Dhingra, Chief Secretary, Shri Arvind Mehta, Secretary Finance, Smt. Manisha Nanda, Secretary Tourism and Shri Ram Subhag Singh, Managing Director, HPTDC were present among others in the meeting.