India's first astro tourism campaign begins in Mussoorie

Dehradun: India’s first astro tourism campaign “Nakshatra Sabha” was inaugurated at the George Everest peak in Mussoorie on Saturday.

The venue of the event, George Everest Peak is a major tourist attraction in Mussoorie which offers spectacular views of the snow-clad Himalayan peaks and the Doon Valley.

Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board in association with Starscapes – India’s leading Astro tourism company, is jointly organising the event which will go on till June 2.

After this, astro tourism events will also be organized in places like Harsil-Jadung, Benital, Rishikesh, Jageshwar and Ramnagar.

Various activities like star gazing through special instruments, solar observation through solar glasses and H-Alpha filter are being organised as part of the event. It also features expert talks on astro tourism, astrophotography competitions and astronomical demonstrations.

The state tourism department has taken the initiative in line with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s vision to promote multidimensional tourism activities in the state apart from religious tourism.

Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said the government is trying to ensure that the tourists who come to the state must return home with a better experience and the Nakshatra Sabha is a step in that direction.

Emphasis is also being laid on developing new tourist destinations in the state, he said.