Gujarat to focus on adventure tourism.

TravelWorld
Anupama Sushil - New Delhi


Gujarat tourism will now focus on developing and promoting adventure tourism. Emphasising this is the state's tourism minister Jainarayan Vyas who says, "We have a number of tourism products from deserts to beaches and a lot of scope for water sports, rock climbing, paragliding, wildlife sanctuaries, history, infrastructure for medical tourism and sites for religious tourism. To create infrastructure for all this, we have invited investment from NRI Gujaratis.

The state has also formed an NRG foundation that will facilitate investment. Vyas added that the state tourism policy will be in tandem with the national tourism policy.

Elaborating further, Atul Karwal, director general, Sports Authority of Gujarat, said that there is increasing awareness about the adventure sports in India today. "Gujarat has a lot of scope for three adventure activities of water sports, paragliding and roller skating. At Dharampur the main aim now is to establish a centre for water sports on the Narmada dam canal. Water sports will be conducted in the dam reservoir itself. This reservoir is situated between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. Once the place is set, the centre will be handed over to a private operator and a team to handle the centre. This centre is a joint venture between Gujarat government and Sports Authority of Gujarat."

The water tank will have rover boats, scooter boats, jet boats offering canoeing and kayaking. Diving is also being proposed. The facility will be ready before next year January. "For developing aero-sports we are looking at Mehsana airstrip. We also see a possibility of submarine tourism which is possible at Dwarka. The National Institute of Oceanology can conduct trips to see Bet Dwarka 'the underwater city of Dwarka," he said, adding that these ventures will open many employment opportunities.