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Mahakumbh-2025: Idea contest to balloon fest and conclave, U.P. tourism dept set for a mega branding exercise
As per regional tourism officer, Prayagraj, Aparajita Singh, the tourism department wants to connect more and more people with Mahakumbh-2025 right from its planning phase
With the aim of making planning phase of Mahakumbh-2025 truly inclusive, the state tourism department plans to host a competition inviting UPites to share their ideas related to the mega religious fair that they want the state government to consider. The best ideas would win prizes, said state tourism department officials while confirming the plans.
“Along with this, as part of the mega branding exercise for the fair, the tourism department also plans to host a balloon festival as well as a tourism conclave in run-up to the once-in-12-year religious congregation,” they added.
As per regional tourism officer, Prayagraj, Aparajita Singh, the tourism department wants to connect more and more people with Mahakumbh-2025 right from its planning phase. “The grand Kumbh held in Prayagraj in 2019 had given Uttar Pradesh a special identity on the global stage. Going beyond that, more and more people’s views are planned to be invited for organising Mahakumbh-2025,” she said.
The tourism department will organise a competition in which ideas related to the hosting of Mahakumbh-2025 will be sought from the people, she said. The tourism department will encourage people who give three best ideas in this competition by recognising their effort. These selected ideas will also become a part of the organising the Mahakumbh-2025, Singh added.
The regional tourism officer said that tourism conclave is also proposed to be held as part of the exercise to make the far more attractive. “This two-day tourism conclave will be organised in July 2023 for which the government has already given the go ahead. In this, tour operators are being invited from tourist centres across the country. They will be asked for their views on ways to attract more tourists to Mahakumbh-2025. Hotel entrepreneurs are also being invited for this event,” she said.
“Proposals will be sought from all participants for extending facilities necessary for the tourists while the shortcomings in its efforts so far will also be reviewed,” Singh added. The tourism department also plans to host a balloon festival, which has proved to be an effective medium in the success of organising big activities in other major cities of the country.
“Seeing their success, the tourism department is going to organise a balloon festival in Prayagraj in the first week of July 2023,” the officials said. Tourist information centres will also be expanded. So far six such centres have been set up in the city. Along with making them state-of-the-art, their numbers would also be increased for the benefit of tourists.
