Goa : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Sunday met Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in Goa and discussed ways to promote tourism in both states. "Issues related to Himachal's development, promotion of tourism and trade in both the states and prevention of drugs and intoxicants were also discussed," an official statement said.
Stressing a joint strategy, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that "Himachal and Goa are the best tourism states in India and have tremendous potential to become a combined unique destination for the world, thereby boosting the economy and providing more job opportunities to their people." "A wide range of tourist-specific packages, interlinking both the States will be designed, which will enhance foreign and domestic tourist influx in both states", he said.
CM Sukhu also talked about developing a specific mechanism for promoting tourism. "Both states will also work on evolving a mechanism for specific purposes in the area of Tourism and Trade", he said. The leaders also discussed having a series of marine-mountain-themed science workshops and events exchange programmes between the students of both states in the future to understand the marine and mountain ecosystems better.
Earlier, Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also met Union Minister of Tourism, G. Kishan Reddy in the national capital and urged him to include the places of tourist interests in the State under Swadesh Darshan Yojna II in the next phase.
The chief minister apprised the Tourism Minister that the State is blessed with immense tourism potential, which includes water bodies (reservoirs), religious destinations, a lot for adventure lovers and striking mountain ranges. Chief Minister also advocated for including the State in the development of heritage sites.