Manish Sisodia proposes an advisory board to promote tourism

New Delhi : Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today proposed setting up a tourism advisory board that could come out with innovative ideas to develop the national capital into a tourist hub in the country.

Sisodia, who also hold the tourism portfolio, stressed the need for a "good team" that could think about ways and means to tap tourism potential in the city.

"We are going to develop it (tourism advisory board). We need a good team that can keep thinking about tourism development," Sisodia said at an event 'Destination Delhi: socio economic perspective of art, culture and tourism', organised by the PHD Chamber here.He said that the team could be made up of tourism experts, professionals, representatives of industry, media and market associations who could come up with innovative ideas on development of tourism in Delhi.

The deputy chief minister pointed to the need for new tourism circuits in Delhi to increase the stay period of tourists arriving in the city."There is need to compel the tourists to spend extra days in Delhi through new tourism circuits such as golf, political and social circuits," he said.

Laying emphasis on social circuit, he said that there are several things such as government schools, 'mohalla clinics', night shelters developed by the Delhi government that could interest many who will be willing to pay visits to these facilities.He also viewed that tourism in the city cannot be developed without involving Delhiites and suggested for special packages for the locals.

Presenting the international tourists' perspective at the discussion, High Commissioner of Brunei Dato Paduka Haji Sidek Ali exuded hope that Delhi can follow the tourism success stories of states like Kerala and Sikkim. He also suggested development of "golf tourism" in the city.