Stone of Rs 25-crore convention centre laid

Shimla, September 22

The state government is trying to make Himachal a favourite tourist destination for all seasons and efforts are on to use sustainable tourism as a means to provide better employment and self-employment avenues along with protecting serene beauty and natural heritage of the state.

This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh here today. He laid the foundation stone of Rs 25 crore convention centre at Kiarighat in Solan.

He said the state government had initiated measures to boost tourism industry by inviting private sector investments in the areas of rope-ways, resorts, amusement parks, film cities, mega tourist destinations, civil aviation sector, adventure activities like paragliding, heli-skiing, water sports etc.

He said thrust was on developing religious, adventure, health, and heritage tourism and rural tourism. Exemption of luxury tax in home stay had been extended up to 2018, he added.

The CM said efforts of the state government were yielding positive results and there had been constant increase in number of visitors in the state. — TNS