Department readies master plan to boost tourism in Chandigarh

To boost tourism, the UT Administration has planned to integrate cultural circuits to connect heritage landmarks, natural sites and modern attractions for a complete tourism experience in the city.

According to officials of the Tourism Department, a master plan of various proposed projects and strategies to boost tourism in the city has been prepared.

The officials stated that the Administration was upgrading tourism infrastructure to enhance visitor experience. Facilities at Rock Garden and city gardens were being modernised, while a digital museum at Le Corbusier Centre would showcase Chandigarh’s architectural legacy, they said.

The other emphasis of the department was on eco-tourism through lake, green spaces and other activities such as trekking, boating and cycling, and cultural tourism through festivals, exhibitions and performances.

“These initiatives will enrich visitor satisfaction, promote Chandigarh’s image as a city of heritage and modernity and create sustainable economic opportunities,” stated the officials.

On the cards

Facilities at Rock Garden and gardens in the city are being modernised

A digital museum at Le Corbusier Centre will showcase architectural legacy of Chandigarh

The department to promote eco-tourism through lake, green spaces and other activities such as trekking, boating and cycling

It also plans to boost cultural tourism through festivals, exhibitions and performances

Under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Central Government, the UT Tourism Department has envisioned various projects aimed at enhancing the city’s tourism, cultural and recreational infrastructure while keeping intact the city’s unique identity as the modernist capital designed by Le Corbusier.

Despite Chandigarh’s growing popularity among domestic travellers, the city continues to witness a relatively low influx of foreign tourists, according to data presented by the Ministry of Tourism recently.

The data of the past six years revealed that while lakhs of Indian tourists visited the City Beautiful each year, the number of foreign visitors remained low.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, 15.63 lakh domestic tourists and 44,132 foreigners visited the city in 2019. However, travel restrictions during the pandemic caused a significant drop in the arrival of tourists. In 2020, the city saw only 4.17 lakh domestic and 12,218 foreign visitors.

During the peak of the pandemic, the city witnessed the lowest inflow in 2021 — just 2.28 lakh domestic and 5,451 foreign tourists.

However, tourist arrival gradually revived in the following years. In 2022, the influx surged with 30.27 lakh domestic tourists. However, the number of foreign visitors still remained fewer at 28,439. The following year saw a drastic drop, with only 3.65 lakh domestic tourists and 31,498 foreigners visiting the city.

In 2024, the domestic tourism rebounded to some extent with 9.98 lakh Indians visiting the city. The number of foreign tourists also increased to 39,058, the highest since the pandemic.