“One district, one fair”: the new mantra for boosting tourism 

November 18, 2025

The tourism sector is considered one of the most productive sectors in the country. India has four types of tourism: scenic tourism, religious tourism, adventure tourism, and medical tourism. India’s tragedy is that despite the immense potential in these four tourism sectors, they are not being properly developed. We are not generating the revenue we should. If foreign tourists come to India and engage in any of these four types of tourism, it increases India’s revenue. This translates into exports. India is an import-based economy. Consider petrol and gold, we import up to 85 percent of our needs. How can a country importing so much maintain its exchange rate? Therefore, the approach to tourism must change.

While Prime Minister Modi has given this mantra to boost tourism only in Uttarakhand, it applies to the entire country. He said that every state has its own unique folk culture and distinct identity. If we focus on this identity, tourists may be tempted to come and spend money in this country. The Prime Minister advised that every district should organize a fair to celebrate its unique identity and showcase its local products. If these fairs are transformed into festivals, tourism will be attracted rapidly. An example is the Baglamukhi shrine on the Chintpurni-Jwalaji road, which is very crowded, but a little further down the road, a fair dedicated to the Nag Devta has begun. The sheer number of people who come to this fair from the villages is astonishing. Thus, a fair at the Baglamukhi shrine and another dedicated to the Nag Devta attract a large influx of tourists. Modi is making this point about Uttarakhand. He stated that while Uttarakhand has made significant progress in development over the past 25 years, the state must now establish a roadmap for the next 25 years.

Uttarakhand has now even become a film destination. Therefore, if every district starts organizing fairs to celebrate its unique identity and products, it will attract a large influx of tourists. But what’s true for Uttarakhand is also true for Himachal Pradesh or Kashmir. The public is always ready for scenic tourism. If a new attraction is created around the theme of “One District, One Fair,” people will be drawn in. Take Punjab, for example. Rural sports are held near Ludhiana. People gather from far and wide to watch bullock cart races. Now, there’s a special folk festival that the Bhagwant Mann government has reinstated. Clearly, the tourist crowd that Punjab has long lacked is finally being met. It’s clear that if every state wants to attract tourists from far and wide, it must provide them with appropriate facilities.

Take full care of your road repairs. If tourists face difficulties with road access, food, and accommodation, it negatively impacts religious and other forms of tourism. Therefore, if we want to embrace Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message, we must remember his mantra of “One District, One Fair.” Recall that Modi had previously proposed a strategy to boost exports: “One district, one export.” This strategy would focus on selling products from specific districts. However, this strategy failed to materialize. We hope the PM’s new tourism suggestion will be implemented and bear fruit.