Nod to promotion council to boost private investment in Himachal tourism

To boost private investment in Himachal Pradesh’s tourism sector, the state government has approved the establishment of the Tourism Investment Promotion Council (TIPC), a single-window mechanism for fast-tracking tourism project approvals and providing comprehensive investor facilitation.

An official spokesperson said here today that the TIPC will serve as a dedicated platform to evaluate and approve tourism projects with an investment of Rs 50 crore and above. The Cabinet, in its last meeting, gave nod for the creation of the TIPC. It will be chaired by Chief Minister and supported by an Investment Promotion Cell within the Department of Tourism.

Aimed at creating an investor-friendly ecosystem, the Council will be governed by the principles of minimum regulation, maximum facilitation and time-bound decision-making. To ensure uniformity and efficiency, standardised formats for document submissions will be introduced across departments such as PWD, Pollution Control Board, Revenue, TCP, Fire Services and Jal Shakti.

A key feature of the initiative is creation of a proactive system wherein the onus of project preparedness will rest with the government. Furthermore, except in cases involving statutory approvals (e.g., under Section 118 or environmental clearances), projects will be deemed approved if not cleared within the stipulated time frame.

“Tourism is a vital economic driver for Himachal Pradesh, contributing significantly to employment generation, income creation and balanced regional development. However, fragmented governance, slow approvals and inadequate investor facilitation have hampered sectoral growth,” he said.

The state-level apex body will convene monthly meetings to examine and approve investment proposals in a time-bound manner. In addition to approvals, the TIPC will also recommend procedural and policy-level reforms to enhance the overall investment climate in the tourism sector and position Himachal Pradesh as a premier investment destination.

He said that this initiative reaffirms the government’s commitment to transparency, efficiency and ease of doing business, while accelerating the transformation of Himachal Pradesh into a world-class tourism hub.