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With an increasing number of domestic as well as foreign tourists showing interest in adventure tourism, the Union tourism ministry is focusing on putting safety standards required for it in place.
The ministry recently held a meeting with state governments to review the progress of adventure tourism projects in the country and discuss new projects in the sector. It was attended by at least ten states, including Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and Meghalya.

“Adventure tourism is growing very fast in the country. We want the state governments to take advantage of this increased demand for adventure tourism. But at the same time safety standards also need to be ensured so that tourists don’t get exposed to any type of danger for lack of it,” said the joint secretary, tourism, Ms Leena Nandan. State governments have been directed to ensure that there are enough trained professionals, world-class equipment, rescue and communication facilities. At the recent meeting, the ministry also stressed on the importance of synergy between state governments and tour operators for tapping the full potential of adventure tourism. The plan is to inter-connect various adventure tourism sites and make information on such sites available at one place.
The ministry said since India is blessed with snow-clad peaks, large glaciers, meadows and ski slopes, beautiful valleys, rivers, waterfalls, thick forests rich in wildlife, swampy deltas, long coastlines and magical moonscapes, there is great scope for all kinds of adventure activities.
“Adventure tours operate in far-flung regions of the country and by encouraging this segment we can ensure a more equitable distribution of the economic benefits of tourism while also ensuring that these remote regions get integrated into the mainstream,” an official said.