Reckoned to be one of the best-planned cities in the world, Chandigarh promises an unparalleled experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Aesthetically nestled in the lush green lap of nature, Chandigarh is a rare epitome of modernization co-existing with nature’s beauty, which makes it a much sought-after travel destination for tourists from across the globe.
From watching the sunrise/set at the serene Sukhna Lake to beholding the blooming exhibit and sweet aroma of a myriad species of roses at the Rose Garden, walking around the fantasy land of Rock Garden, witnessing the grandeur of the Open Hand Monument (a sheer sign of optimism that this city entails!), and exploring the artistic exquisiteness of Government Museum and Art Gallery, there is all this and so much more to the City Beautiful.
So, as an ode to World Tourism Day, we talk to Rakesh Kumar Popli, PCS, Director Tourism, Chandigarh to know more about Chandigarh tourism.
“Chandigarh is fast emerging as a much-desired tourist spot for national and international visitors because of its varied sites of natural and architectural attraction. In order to celebrate and promote this tourism potential of Chandigarh, the World Tourism Day was earlier marked by heritage walks, musical nights, contests for school children and citizens, and a photography exhibition. However, owing to the pandemic situation, this time these initiatives have been taken to the digital arena,” shares Mr Popli.
“An exclusive movie has been made by us on the main tourist attractions and heritage of Chandigarh that shall be shared on all our social media platforms. The movie precisely captures the natural as well as the built beauty of Chandigarh during lockdown with a brief description of each site. The award-winning pictures celebrating the beauty of the city from previous years will also be shared online,” he further adds.
In another unique initiative, the Chandigarh Tourism department is sharing various infotainment modules made by the Architecture museums, with the view to keep these museums alive in public memory and ensure sustained interest of prospective visitors.
“These infotainment modules have been shared regularly on social media platforms like the Museum’s Facebook page, WhatsApp broadcast list and other architecture related groups. We are also posting dedicated posts at regular intervals which provide relevant information about some interesting aspects of the city. These posts are followed by a thoughtful message or an activity like ‘spot the differences’ or ‘find the missing parts’ of an image related to the theme of the post. Recently, jigsaw puzzles of images of Chandigarh were added to the activities to garner some fresh interest,” explains Mr Popli.
Staying abreast with the latest technological advancements, Chandigarh Tourism has also laid the foundation stone of interesting virtual reality movies of the tourist spots of Chandigarh by offering a unique “360 degree” view of these sites, which shall be shortly released for the public. This shall enable the viewers to virtually visit these tourist spots and control the experience that they have in the real space.
From Around the City!
“Chandigarh has what it takes to be a premier global tourist destination. Somehow it has been seen only as a lunch stopover by hordes of tourists on the way to the hills. By highlighting the serene greens, Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, UNESCO World Heritage site – The Capitol Complex, as well as by tying up with major tour operators, Chandigarh Tourism can easily attract weekend tourists in particular.” – Vivek Atray, Former Director Tourism, UT
“Sukhna lake is my go-to place for days when I wake up early and look forward to a refreshing morning walk. Otherwise, for good weather days, hanging out in Rose Garden and Sector-17 Chandigarh is also a great idea!” – Vishnu Kaushal, Social Media Influencer
“My go-to place in Chandigarh is definitely Elante mall. It is like a one-stop destination to shop, eat and have fun with my family and friends. I feel that Chandigarh has a great calibre for tourism, owing to its natural beauty and well-thought-out planning. No one can avoid falling in love with this beautiful city!” – Harnoor Chhibber, Content Writer, Invest Punjab
“I actually love getting lost in the similar looking lanes and beauty of Chandigarh. If we are talking about a single destination that is my favourite in the City Beautiful, it would be Rose Garden owing to its eternal fragrance and beauty.” – Inder Bajwa, Model and Social Worker
SUKHNA LAKE PHOTO BY PANKAJ SHARMA
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