CHANDIGARH, JULY 10
With a view to giving fillip to Farm Tourism, Haryana Tourism will promote farm houses during the annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela to be held from February 1 to 15 at Surajkund, Faridabad, so as to attract tourists from within Indian and abroad .
In this regards, a review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr. Sumita Misra, Principal Secretary, Tourism, with all the farm owners registered under the Farm Tourism Scheme of the Haryana Tourism Department. The meeting was attended by Mr Sandeep Garg, Managing Director, Haryana Tourism Corporation and other senior officers of the Department.
In the meeting, it was informed that Haryana Tourism has been actively promoting Farm Tourism across the state. At present, 14 farm houses are registered with the Tourism Department under the scheme, which and these are located mostly in the National Capital Region and a few are along a National Highway. These farms present an experience of a lifestyle that’s true to a real India -- rich in age old traditions, ethnic arts and crafts.
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held with the farm owners to make concerted efforts to attract more tourists, especially foreigners by adding more rural activities at the farm houses.
Besides, promoting the farm houses during the annual Surajkund International Crafts Mela, Dr. Misra also stressed the need to upgrade and further develop these farm houses in such a way that the TV serial and the film shooting crews get attracted to come here and shoot at these picturesque locations that offer a rural ambience.
Dr. Misra further emphasised that the farm owners should create and provide literature or printed material and CDs for aggressively promoting their activities. A tourist at these farms lives close to nature and gets hands-on feel of milking a cow, ploughing a field, ride a bullock cart and bathe under tubewell . Community participation plays a vital role in Farm Tourism and also helps in engaging and generating employment for people from the adjoining areas, she added.
Satinder Sharma of Awesome Farm, Faridabad-Sohna Road, stated, that they are very satisfied and pleased with the support extended by Tourism Department, Haryana.Pardeep Kumar of Pratapgarh Farms, Jhajjar, says, “We generate a great business and many school groups and corporate sector employees visit our farmhouse, as they get an opportunity to connect with their roots".
Dr. Misra also informed that farm house owners in the state could get registered under the Farm Tourism scheme of the Tourism Department, Haryana, on fulfilling the conditions of having an agricultural holding of three-four acres with minimum two rentable rooms and should be able to organize rural activities for tourists. It promises to offer an extra source of income for farmland owners.
Those farm owners who meet the conditions can apply at Haryana Tourism offices in Delhi at Haryana Government's Tourist Bureau, 36 Janpath, Chanderlok Building and its Chandigarh office at SCO 17-19, Sector 17-B.
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