Rajasthan govt plans to develop 23 old airstrips on PPP mode: Tourism Minister

The Rajasthan government is planning to develop 23 old airstrips on a public-private partnership mode where chartered and smaller flights can land, Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh said here on Sunday.

Addressing the G20 Tourism Expo in Jaipur hosted at luxury heritage hotel, he also exhorted all participants to go back as "ambassadors of Rajasthan tourism".

"Under the guidance and leadership of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, we are planning to put out 23 old airstrips on a PPT (public-private partnership mode) where chartered flights linkage can be provided directly," Singh said.

Singh also holds the portfolio of civil aviation in the state cabinet.

Citing an example of Kishangarh airport, he said that after the operationalisation of flights to this airport, a lot of crowd has got diverted from the main airport.

So, people going to Ajmer or those going for 'ziyarat' are going through Kishangarh airport, the minister said.

When asked about the status of this plan, he said that it was "in the pipeline and, soon, it will be done".

"We plan to give these airstrips on a PPP mode, so investment will be from the private sector. And, we (state) will take a certain percentage of the landing and taking off charges. So, it will enhance connectivity," Singh told PTI.

Asked if these 23 airstrips have been identified, he said they are all existing ones, including those from the colonial era or those made by former rulers.

In response to another inquiry, he said, the arrangement should be such that chartered flights and smaller flights can land at these airstrips.

The day-long G20 Tourism Expo was held at the Rambagh Palace hotel of the Taj group, by the Ministry of Tourism in association with the Rajasthan tourism department and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

In his address, the tourism minister, also said that "tourism" does not belong to any party whether Congress or the BJP and urged that whenever any fund is to come from the Centre to the state, it should be speedily released.

Singh said that the new Rajasthan rural tourism scheme, approved a few months ago, has many elements which "a lot of states want to copy".

The Rajasthan Cabinet in November approved the Rajasthan Rural Tourism Scheme, 2022, to boost rural tourism and generate employment.

This scheme will create employment opportunities in the villages and protect the handicrafts industry by establishing rural guest houses, agricultural tourism units, camping sites and caravan parks.

At the same time, the scheme will acquaint domestic and foreign tourists with Rajasthan’s rural culture.

"This rural tourism policy will generate a lot of employment, put focus on our folklore, rural landscape, wildlife, cultural and heritage sites there, and religious sites, beyond the oft-talked about sites," Singh said.

The event was also attended by delegates from G20 member countries like -- Italy, Turkiye, Australia, and Germany.

The Ambassador of South Korea to India, Chang Jae-bok, was also present on the occasion.

G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant was also scheduled to attend the event, but could not make it, a senior official said.

The G20 Tourism Expo is being organised simultaneously with the 12th edition of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB).

GITB, one of the biggest events of inbound tourism in India, is co-organized by the Ministry of Tourism along with the Department of Tourism, the government of Rajasthan and FICCI.

The three-day GITB kicked off on Sunday evening, with its inaugural function held in the premises of the charming Jai Mahal Palace hotel of the Taj group, late evening on Sunday.

Being held after a gap of three years, GITB will witness over 11,000 B2B meetings of 283 tour operators from 56 countries, including over 150 from G20 countries, with the representatives of tourism boards from 11 states namely – Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, apart from Rajasthan along with nearly 290 Indian exhibitors, organisers said.

Rajasthan Chief Secretary Usha Sharma, Chairman of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, Dharmendra Singh Rathore, Rajasthan Tourism Secretary Gayatri Rathore, Union Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh, attended the event held late evening at the iconic hotel.

The chief secretary also spoke on the importance of forest department in promoting tourism.

There is a leopard sanctuary in Jaipur, she said.

"And, there are several destinations that we are trying to develop either as a leopard sanctuary or a tiger sanctuary, so, we have added two in Jaipur, we are adding one in Bundi, adding one in Jhalawar, one in Karauli, Udaipur. So, now realising the potential of tourism and how it generates employment, we are also entering into this area. We are trying to make Rajasthan as a capital for big cats," Sharma said.

Sharma, one of the co-founders of GITB whose first edition was held in 2008 and the current 12th edition being held after a gap due to the COVID-19 pandemic, said, she was "impressed" with the way the GIYB hadms grown over the years.

She praised the Rajasthan film tourism policy and said, so much of Rajasthan is seen in films and even in OTT-based web series.

Rajasthan Tourism department and the RTDC are working with a shared vision and setting new standards and models.

Rajasthan tourism secretary in her address at the expo, spoke of the recovery made by the sector and how G20 has given the much-needed impets, and reiterated it at the GITN event.

On heritage tourism front, after mentioned it at the expo, she again underlined that about 75 per cent of the heritage hotels in India are located in Rajasthan, and many of these properties have been restored and reused which attract tourists.

Union Tourism Secretary Singh said, about one lakh G20 delegates will visit India this year.

On the third Tourism Working Group meeting planned to be held in Srinagar, he said, this will also be important as the "communique" that will be released after the Goa ministeral meeting of the G20, will be finalised in Srinagar meeting.

Singh said with growing economy in India, tourism sector in the country, which stands at USD 150 billlion today, will grow to USD 1 trillion in the next 20-25 years.

India plans to promote green tourism, open up to 50 new tourism destinations, and launch a publicity campaign in overseas markets during its presidency of the G20 this year, he added.