As per the five-year policy, two to three prominent monuments or sites in each division of the state will be developed as ‘Iconic Monuments’ or sites.
The Rajasthan tourism Policy-2020, approved by the state Cabinet recently has sought to promote the state as a leading tourism brand in national and international markets, strengthen and diversify existing products, give priority to lesser-known destinations and improve visitors experience.
As per the five-year policy, two to three prominent monuments or sites in each division of the state will be developed as ‘Iconic Monuments Or sites. These sites will be managed by new District Tourism Development Committees. Similarly, there is a provision for a museum grant scheme to promote private museums showcasing the cultural heritage of the state
Many villages in the state have prominent heritage hotels or sites and are also home to popular art or craft forms. The policy envisages identifying them in each district and declaring them as “Special Heritage Village”(SHV) or a ‘Special Craft Village’
(SCV). A long term master plan will be prepared for the SHVs and SCVs to develop them as new tourist hubs.
With a growing demand for new “ëxperiences”, several private stakeholders are offering innovative experiential tourism products which require the support of the government for marketing and promotion.
The department will compile a database of all such offerings and publish an e-brochure for the dissemination of information. It will also bring out guidelines for certification of such products. An incentive scheme will be introduced for startups in the tourism sector to create such new experiential products”, the policy document said.
Pristine locations with beautiful sand dunes in untapped areas such as the stretches around Sambhar, Pushkar, Nagaur and Bikaner will be promoted as new desert destinations. The policy creates the scope for rolling our an incentive scheme to attract both national and international filmmakers to such destinations. Special incentives will be given to promote aero, aqua and land-based adventure tourism.
Keeping in view the growing interest in wildlife and eco-tourism, the policy seeks to develop new sites, but wants an eco-certification scheme for hotels, restaurants and other service providers operating there.
Guidelines for granting certificates to heritage hotels or properties will be revised and make investor-friendly. A project for conservation of havelis in heritage zones such as the Shekhawati or Braj areas will be taken up.
To leverage crafts and cuisine of the state, curated direct marketing platforms will be created on the lines of Delhi Haat in
Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Bikaner.
MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) and wedding tourism have emerged as potential segments and, for their promotion, the policy lays out a plan to identify, grade and list such facilities. For establishing integrated MICE infrastructure, such facilities with more than two lakh sq.ft. carpet area will be exempted from stamp duty.
Since the state has a lot of potential as a weekend getaway, the department will identify 10-20 such places in proximity to interstate borders and aggressively market them to boost the segment. An infrastructure gap study will be undertaken for such destinations to improve road and last-mile connectivity.
In a bid to attract non-resident Rajasthanis, the department will launch ‘Rajasthan Calling ‘initiative both in India and abroad to connect people having their roots here.
The policy also outlines a scheme for classifying all tourism units such as hotels, paying guest houses. An annual event, ‘Rajasthan Startup Tourism Connect’, will be organised to bring innovation to the sector.