Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government is preparing a fresh tourism strategy aimed at boosting domestic travel, promoting destination weddings at heritage locations, and encouraging citizens to explore the state’s cultural and religious hotspots instead of travelling abroad. The new roadmap was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Jaiveer Singh at the Tourism Directorate in Lucknow on Wednesday. Senior officials from the tourism and culture departments were present during the review meeting.
Calling the current global situation an opportunity for growth, Jaiveer Singh said, “Opportunity in crisis is our core mantra, we will give a new dimension to tourism with the spirit of 'Nation First'.”
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Free Museum Entry, New Packages On The Cards
As part of the proposed tourism push, the state government plans to launch the ‘Visit My State’ campaign. Under this initiative, museums across Uttar Pradesh will offer free entry for the next two months.
The minister also instructed officials to work closely with tour operators to create experience-driven travel packages for key tourist circuits, including Varanasi, Agra, Mathura, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Mirzapur and Ayodhya.
Officials were also directed to improve coordination with restaurant associations to explore discounts on food and hospitality services for tourists.
Heritage Sites To Be Marketed For Destination Weddings
The Uttar Pradesh government is also planning to aggressively market heritage properties, forts and eco-tourism locations as destination wedding venues.
During the meeting, Jaiveer Singh said local heritage spaces should be prioritised for weddings, family gatherings and cultural events. He noted that several historic properties across the state are well suited for premium tourism experiences.
The minister specifically instructed officials to speed up preparations at Chunar Fort and Chhatar Manzil as part of the state’s tourism expansion plans.
The government also wants to strengthen spiritual and rural tourism by creating specialised visitor arrangements for ancient temples, religious destinations and cow shelters.
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Government Pushes Cost-Cutting, Administrative Efficiency
Alongside tourism promotion, the meeting also focused on administrative reforms within the department.
Officials were asked to reduce the use of government vehicles and encourage shared travel wherever possible. The department is also considering reducing the size of its vehicle fleet as part of broader cost-saving measures.
Additional Chief Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs, Amrit Abhijat, emphasised the need for more disciplined and systematic departmental functioning.
He stated, "Regional tourism officers from different districts should avoid visiting the Directorate without prior permission from senior officials."
Amrit Abhijat also recommended wider use of virtual platforms for meetings and coordination work, saying the move would improve transparency, accountability and resource management.
Tourism Director General Vedpati Mishra, Director Tourism (Eco Tourism) Pushp Kumar K., and UPSTDC MD Ashish Kumar were among the officials present at the meeting.