Heritage Tourism Session : PANELISTS EMPHASIZE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO GENERATE AWARENESS ABOUT HISTORICAL PLACES

• Preserving heritage monuments for future generations also stressed upon

S.A.S. Nagar, September 11:

The first day of the first of its kind tourist summit and travel mart held at the Amity University here saw panelists from conservation and heritage sectors engaged in thought provoking discussions on the heritage tourism in Punjab.

Starting the discussion, Chairman, Council for Infrastructure Development and Economic Reforms (CIDER) Dr. Anirudh Gupta said that Punjab has offered immensely in terms of legacy and culture but that potential was not properly used during the past 7 decades. He elaborated that industrialization and tourism should be the focus areas as these would stop the exodus of the youth to the foreign lands. Lauding the State Government, he also said the potential of Harike as a tourist hotspot should be utilized as it can generate billions of dollars.

Founder, Amritsar Heritage Walks, Gurinder Singh Johal talked about the lack of awareness about our glorious history being the main problem. Mentioning only Ramgarhia Bunga being left in Sri Harmandir Sahib, he also made a mention of Sainik School in Kapurthala, Roza Sharif in Sri Fatehgarh Sahib and batted for their preservation. He said that monuments and palaces are the great heritage of the State which must learn the best practices about conservation of heritage monuments from the Lahore City Walled Authority. He called heritage tourism the most significant sector afterreligious tourism.

Conservation Architect Gurmeet Sangha Rai advocated that the heritage conservation should be taken up as part of the urban landscape.

President, Punjab Chapter, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Major General (Retd.) Balwinder Singh said that all war related heritage, Ten Guru Sahiban related heritage, Rural heritage and that of Princely States needs to be documented as the history of Punjab is unmatched in the world. He also said that giving multiple choices, about 15-16, to the tourists in each circuit of tourism would give a boost to this sector. INTACH is ready to collaborate with the Punjab Government to usher in a new era of cultural heritage.

Chair of Punjab Chapter, PHD Chamber, R.S. Sachdeva exhorted making people aware about the rich historical heritage of Punjab by using the social media tools besides developing an app for the places of historical importance and conserving havelis & heritage properties on PPP mode. He also made a strong case for preserving the house of Mata Gujri Ji, Mother of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, in Kapurthala as her 400th Birth Anniversary falls next year.

Vice President, Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA) Vijay Lal emphasized the importance of restoring heritage properties so as to act as the inspiration for the coming generations.

The session was moderated by Director, KPMG, Dr. Shireesh.