Youth promotes unexplored tourist spots in Sainj valley in Kullu district

Abhinav Vashisht

KULLU, JUNE 24

Ritam Thakur has been promoting unexplored tourist destinations in the Sainj valley in Banjar subdivision since 2012. Belonging to Laida village, he has been engaged in adventure activities like trekking, rock climbing, river crossing and bike riding. His passion and the success he has achieved has become an inspiration for many to adopt eco-friendly tourism for earning livelihood.

Ritam identifies picturesque and virgin places around his village to attract tourists. He started the business by turning his house into a homestay.

Ritam worked for eight years in hotels in Shimla and Manali after graduating from the Institute of Hotel Management, Kufri, Shimla. He left his job and started by inspiring youth to start trekking, rock climbing, river crossing, bike riding, etc. He has provided jobs to some youths of the village.

Ritam gain success in the venture and has now hosted thousands of tourists. They visit temples and picturesque natural places around Laida, besides relishing traditional dishes prepared in the area. He has developed trekking routes till Bunga and Thihani and played a key role in associating Laxmi Narayan temple of Galun and Panchveer Temple of Laida with tourism.

Archana, a tourist from Kerala who has written a review about the rural tourism of Laida village, wrote, “My husband and I stayed here for 10 days. These were the best days of our 50-day Himachal trip. The traditional Kullvi food is very tasty.”

Engaging, inspiring locals

• Ritam worked for eight years in Shimla and Manali hotels
• To develop tourism in his village, he left the job and involved the locals
• He inspired the youth to start trekking, rock climbing, river crossing, bike riding, etc
• He started the business by turning his house into a homestay and uploaded the unexplored places on a website

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#himachal tourism #Tourism