Chandigarh, April 21: The Haryana Government aims to take tourism in the state to new heights through farm tourism and homestays, which will create new employment opportunities for the youth. To achieve this, issues faced by farm tourism and homestay operators will be resolved on a priority basis.
This was stated by Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal, Commissioner & Secretary of the Haryana Tourism Department, during a meeting held on Tuesday at Haryana Niwas, Chandigarh, with farm tourism and homestay operators. Additional Director of the Tourism Department, Mamta Sharma and other officials were also present.
He said that the Haryana Government is making serious efforts to promote tourism activities in the state. Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini is personally taking keen interest in the development of farm tourism and homestays in the state.
During the meeting, farm tourism and homestay operators apprised the department of issues related to various departments and requested their resolution. They stated that the global annual market for farm tourism and homestays is ₹5,000 crore and is continuously growing. If the Haryana Government addresses the challenges faced by this sector, the state can achieve significant progress in this field.
Operators also highlighted difficulties related to necessary facilities and approvals required from different departments in detail.
Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal directed operators to submit their issues in writing within the next five days. Based on these inputs, a comprehensive Farm Tourism and Homestay Policy will be formulated in coordination with all departments and will be presented for Cabinet approval. Once implemented, it will ensure smooth functioning of these services. Additionally, services related to this sector will be notified under the Right to Service Act to ensure timely delivery within a stipulated period.
Dr. Amit Kumar Agrawal further stated that the Haryana Government is also studying policies implemented by other states related to agro-tourism and homestays to make Haryana’s policy more effective. He added that, as per the directions of the Chief Minister, tourism and hospitality will be promoted on par with other industries in the state to generate maximum employment opportunities. He also informed that the Central Government has included farm tourism and homestays under the Ease of Doing Business framework.
