Tourism in Punjab will be promoted from a commercial angle so that it can become a vehicle for boosting the state economy, State's Tourism Minister, Sarwan Singh Phillaur said today.

Phillaur, who had come here to inaugurate a heritage hub, told reporters that he had recently met Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal regarding the need to give a boost to tourism in the state. "The Chief Minister has assured liberal allocation of funds for boosting tourism," he said.

He admitted that the state lacked in promoting tourism commercially and more marketing was required in this regard. He also said that a major thrust will be laid upon pilgrimage and heritage tourism. "A heritage village is coming up in the holy city of Amritsar. Other holy cities in state are being declared heritage sites while Kartapur has already been given this status," he informed.

When asked about some tourist complexes in the state lying closed, the Minister said that some of them have already been given on lease while others are having court cases or departmental disputes. "We have engaged lawyers to pursue these cases speedily," he said.