Back to Index

US ski village in Himachal Pradesh
by Rajiv Kimta

          Gulaba (Himachal Pradesh): US-based Ford Company's ski village has begun tournaments here. They are expected to promote tourism in Himachal Pradesh. The tournaments were open for general public, who are enrolled in extensive training programme, participated in it. "Skiing itself is a very significant for the tourism industry because primarily tourists come to Manali to enjoy snow. But this event has not yet come to that stage where we can call it state level and also primarily because we wanted to give cash to the local skiers. But in time to come Himalayan Ski village will become a very big tourist attraction," said Himanshu Sharma, a skiing instructor. John Sims, Managing Director of Ford Corporation, said the project apart from aiming to tap rich cultural heritage, seeks to provide employment to the locals. "The main reason is to build enthusiasm for the sport of skiing in the local community and to build their abilities. We have been holding extensive ski training over the last four months where we brought ski instructors from Switzerland, Canada and from the Kullu Valley as well, who we have engaged in training," Sims said. The company has already finished first phase of the project in 2006 and is expected to complete it by 2009. Once the project comes into being, it will provide revenue of 300 million rupees annually to the government in the form of luxury and royalty tax. The state's tourism officials are yet to finalise several aspects of the proposed project to be located at 8,500 feet above the sea level in the Kullu Valley . The project, though not a part of the world famous Ford Motors, is, however, owned by the family. Nearly four million tourists visit the state every year and the figure has been increasing by about 15 percent every year.
-April 17,  2007