UNWTO team holds discussions with authorities of the district administration in Patiala With the approval of the Punjab Tourism Master Plan by the state government in November 2009,the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has now embarked on a plan to implement the same in a specific time frame. A team of the Madrid-based UN body has started holding meetings with the district administrations of Patiala,Kapurthala and Ropar,for implementing the master plan,in which these three places are being accorded importance. Patiala,Kapurthala and Sultanpur Lodhi will be developed as heritage centres and an eco-tourism project will be set up at Ropar. UNWTO chief technical adviser and team leader of the Punjab Tourism Master Plan implementation mission Roger Goodacre told The Indian Express that their team was working under the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board,with the ultimate objective of developing Punjab as a major tourist destination. Goodacre said The objective is to bring historical and leisure tourism into Punjab. At present,the state is a destination for businessmen and pilgrims. Under the plan we will set up farms,better bed and breakfast schemes and heritage hotels in the state. The master plan will be implemented in two years time,with funding from the Centre,state government and the Asian Development Bank. The master plan covers a wide range of activities,including new tourism legislation and strengthening the marketing and branding strategy for promoting tourism. It is also an attempt to showcase the rich heritage of Punjab to the world. Goodacre said,We will try to restore some heritage sites like the Qila Mubarik in Patiala and other palaces and forts in Patiala and Kapurthala. We will involve the private sector for the purpose. The three places chosen for heritage development are other than the already existing ones in Amritsar,he added. Patiala mayor Ajit Pal Singh Kohli said a lot of money will be pumped into citys infrastructure to put the state on the world map of tourism.
