The Uttar Pradesh government is making significant efforts to enhance the tourism sector in the state, with the upcoming Mahakumbh in Prayagraj poised to play a crucial role towards this end. It is anticipated that over 45,000 families will benefit from direct or indirect employment opportunities linked to this grand event, tourism department officials here disclosed. Notably, to boost tourism, a series of training programmes are being conducted across Prayagraj. These initiatives aim to enhance the skills of vendors and service providers, ensuring they are well-prepared to cater to the influx of visitors during the event.

In addition to supporting existing businesses, these training programmes are expected to create new sources of employment around various religious tourist sites, further contributing to the economic growth of the region. The state government has undertaken several initiatives to revitalize the tourism sector in the state, including approving the new Tourism Policy-2022 on November 16, 2022, which enhanced tourism in the state. The policy aims to attract an investment of Rs 20,000 crores and create jobs for 10 lakh people. A key focus is to connect service providers in the tourism industry with skill development and management training. The Prayagraj Mahakumbh is serving as a major platform for this effort.

Aparajita Singh, the Regional Tourism Officer of Prayagraj, said here on Saturday that a training campaign has been launched for all service providers who interact with tourists during the Mahakumbh. This includes training for boatmen, tour guides, street vendors, and others in skill development and management. The Yogi government is enhancing the role of boatmen who operate in the rivers near religious sites in Uttar Pradesh by increasing their income and developing their skills. The Tourism Department is providing training to 2,000 boatmen for this purpose.

According to Singh, an MoU has been signed with Manyavar Kanshiram Tourism Management Institute and another institution to facilitate this training. So far, 300 boatmen have received skill development training, enabling them to take on the additional role of river guides alongside their boating duties. This initiative aims to create job opportunities for thousands of boatmen and improve the overall environment of tourist destinations.

To further boost tourism, the department is also focused on enhancing the capabilities of service providers at these sites. To achieve this, they are offering skill development and management training to 1,000 tour guides in Prayagraj. This training is being led by Assistant Professor Prakhar Tiwari from Manyavar Kanshiram Tourism Management Institute in Lucknow. According to Tiwari, seven batches of tour guides have already been trained, with 420 tour guides now ready to provide their services after completing the program.

There is a pressing need to build a pool of trained workers in the tourism sector to ensure quality service for visitors. This skilled manpower will be crucial for accommodating the large number of tourists expected at the Mahakumbh. The Regional Tourism Officer of Prayagraj further mentioned that the Tourism Department is committed to enhancing the skills of all service providers linked to the tourism industry. In addition to training tour guides and boatmen, the department is now focusing on street vendors and taxi drivers in the city.

Street vendors play a vital role in the urban economy, supplying essential goods to locals while also interacting with tourists. Training for these vendors is essential for improving their customer service skills and promoting cleanliness at tourist sites. The Tourism Department has initiated training for 600 street vendors and 600 taxi drivers in Prayagraj, with 250 street vendors and 120 taxi drivers already trained.

The UP government’s new tourism policy is proving to be a game changer for the sector, creating numerous employment opportunities. The provision of skill development and management training for these service providers ahead of the Mahakumbh is likely to create employment for the youth on a large scale and increase their incomes.

Mr Singh estimates that over 45,000 families will benefit from this training initiative, gaining direct or indirect employment and fostering new job opportunities around religious tourist sites.