SHIMLA: Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh has the potential to offer best health tourism facilities to the tourists and the State Government was committed to boost health tourism in a big way. He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of Luxury Resort Surya Vilas at village Rihun in Kasuali area of Solan district on Sunday.

Chief Minister said that State Government was considering to introduce the famous Ayurveda health system 'Panchkarma' in public private participation in the State so that people visiting the State not only enjoyed the natural beauty to re-energise themselves but also take benefits of health promotion activities. He said that Panchkarma system had the capacity to cure numerous ailments without any side effects and added that health tourism would further strengthen the tourism sector, besides generating employment avenues to the local youth.

Prof. Dhumal said that nature had blessed Himachal Pradesh with immense natural wealth which if exploited with ecological safeguards had the potential to generate income through various tourism promotion activities. He said that tourism was the basic income and employment generating industry in the State and State Government was making efforts to boost this vital sector. He said that basic infrastructure was being upgraded to meet the emerging requirements of the tourists and efforts were being made to attract more tourists across the world.

Chief Minister said that State Government had launched the Home Stay Scheme to acquaint the tourists with the local cuisine and life style of people of the State. He said that State Government had started the registration of Rural Home Stay Units in the State with a view to associate villages in the tourism promotion activities. He said that State Government was offering various incentives to the registered unit owners, who would contribute towards making tourism a household affair.

Prof. Dhumal said that State had prominent religious shrines which were visited by lacs of devotees and added that State Government was making all out efforts to promote religious tourism. He said that State Government was creating quality infrastructure to cater to the needs of devotees. He said that the State had potential to cater to adventure tourism lovers, especially the youth and added that State Government was taking effective steps to boost adventure tourism.

Chief Minister hoped that the Resort would prove to be a milestone in boosting Nature Tourism in the State and added that tourists preferred rural areas which were peaceful and blessed with natural beauty. He said that Surya Vilas had the advantage of being a health resort in the interior of the State. Air Marshal Dr. Sethi spoke about the vision behind developing the luxury resort. Smt. Gayatri Bajaj, Director, Surya Vilas Luxury Resort welcomed the Chief Minister.