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River rafting promotes tourism in Himachal

         Sunni (Himachal Pradesh): Himachal Pradesh is a sought-after destination for adventure tourism. With a picturesque landscape ranging from lush green valleys to barren hilltops, the state is tapping its rich natural resources to attract adventure tourists. The Sutlej River, 50 km from state capital Shimla has become a hot destination adventure tourists to participate in sports like river rafting. "I think it is a great attraction for the tourist to get on and see nature and enjoy the river and have a good time as well," said Robison, a tourist from United States. "River rafting in Sutlej River started 3-4 years ago and even before that tourists used to come. It used to be difficult for the locals like us to survive before the destination was promoted as a tourist destination. We had to bring in guides from outside for the tourists but now more and more locals are getting into the business," Kulwant Singh, a water rafting expert. The advent of such games has opened scope for locals to provide support services to tourists like hospitality, travel and guide. With a slowdown in tourist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh is increasingly becoming popular as the alternate destination for tourists. With more than three million domestic and foreign tourists visiting the state annually, the mainstay of the picturesque Himachal Pradesh is heavily dependent on tourism.
-March 27,  2007