Thaindian News

Ahmedabad, Jan 11 (IANS) Gujarat is witnessing a rise in tourism thanks to its effective campaigns to promote the state’s culture and tradition, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday.”Gujarat is achieving new milestones in tourism. And considering the progress we have made so far, there is no looking back,” Modi said while inaugurating the 21st International Kite Festival in Ahmedabad.

According to Modi, the change-over began after his campaigns on promoting the state’s culture and tradition.

“Gir national park, known for its lions, has seen a 55 percent increase in tourist visits in the last one year. This is an evidence of how effective the campaigns have been,” he added.

Traditional garba dance, food festivals, and the Kite Festival have added to Gujarat’s popularity, according to Modi.

State tourism ministry officials present at the kite festival said that roping in actor Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador seems to have played well for Gujarat’s tourism.

“Kutch and Dwarka have seen tremendous rise in tourist visits. Amitabh Bachchan’s advertisements are generating interest amongst the Indian tourists also,” said an official from the tourism ministry.

Gujarat tourism, attracting 1.65 crore visitors annually, is expected to witness a 30 percent increase, added the official.

Over 37 countries, including France, Italy, Vietnam, New Zealand and Ukraine, are participating in the Uttarayan kite festival festival.

The day-long festival has eight Indian states with over 150 participants and will be followed by the Jan 12-13 Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit.