UP plans upgraded heritage walk tours to scale up tourist experience

Lucknow: The state govt is mulling an upgraded version of its Heritage Walk Project that would offer tourists a unique opportunity to explore the state's rich historical, religious, cultural and natural heritage sites.

"UP has witnessed remarkable growth in the tourism sector over the past 8 years. The state's strong presence on the global tourism map is attracting visitors from across India and abroad. Understanding the evolving interests of new-age travellers, the Yogi govt is gearing up to launch the Heritage Walk Project with a renewed approach. This would serve as a gateway for tourists to engage with the state's heritage on a deeper level, ensuring a more enriching and memorable experience," a govt spokesman said.

The tourism department, which is curating the project, would introduce six types of tours: Heritage Walks, Food and Cuisine Walks, Handicrafts Walks, Eco-Tourism Walks, Bird Watching Walks and Customized Historical Walks. The destinations include Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Bhadohi and Bundelkhand.

In Lucknow, the initiative would feature thematic routes covering landmarks like Bada Imambara, Rumi Darwaza and the Residency while in Varanasi, the Ramnagar Fort Circuit would be showcased.

Similarly, food enthusiasts would be able to explore Lucknow's Aminabad and Chowk areas for their famous street food, while Varanasi's Kachori Gali and traditional sweet shops would be highlighted in a special gastronomic tour.

In the experiential tourism category, visitors would get a chance to take a closer look at Bhadohi's carpet weaving industry, Firozabad's glassware factories and Lucknow's intricate Chikankari embroidery.

For nature lovers, specialized eco-tourism walks would be introduced in Dudhwa National Park, Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary, Sur Sarovar Bird Sanctuary near Agra and various eco-tourism hotspots in the Vindhya and Bundelkhand regions.

The project would also offer customised walk tours for corporate groups, embassies, public sector enterprises, educational institutions and individual tourists.

"The tourism department is working in partnership with tour operators, travel agencies and hotels to organise these tours efficiently. Once the routes and plans are finalised, details would be made available on the department's website and mobile app," officials said adding that tourists would be able to book these tours online.