Bestowed with great geographical diversity, cultural heritage and robust connectivity, Gujarat has set its sight on becoming a tourism hub in the country besides being the industrial powerhouse.

Claiming that Gujarat is the only state in India with maximum variety of tourism spots in the country, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday called for making the state an all-round tourism hub.

Ranging from vast wetlands to lush green forests and from deserts to pristine beaches Gujarat boasts of many natural attractions which are a treat for eyes. The state also has one of the ancient cities in the world, Dholavira besides scores of sites of religious significance.

Addressing the Gujarat Travel and Tourism Excellence Award-2021 Second Edition distribution ceremony jointly organised by the Gujarat Tourism Department and the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL), the Chief Minister said that global pandemic has hit hard the travel and tourism sector but Gujarat has converted the challenges into opportunity to revive this sector.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel felicitated winners of Gujarat Travel and Tourism Award 2021 in 26 categories among 519 participants.

Patel noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lent a new concept by joining festivals to tourism while establishing a new era of politics of development through such ideas like Sauna Saath, Sauna Vikas, Sauna Vishwas’, Atmanirbhar Bharat and attempt to make India a Vishwa Guru.

He said the state government has undertaken a novel concept of border tourism, setting up National Salt Memorial at Dandi to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s famous Dandi March.

Gujarat was the first state in the country to announce the Heritage Tourism Policy in 2020.

Tourism Minister Purneshbhai Modi said the state is committed to attract global tourists to Gujarat, having vast stretches of white Rann of Kutch, 1,600 km long coastline, historic stepwells Vav, temples at Somnath, Ambaji and other places.