Lucknow: UP is focusing on museums, rural tourism and experience-based travel to attract new visitors, additional chief secretary, tourism, Amrit Abhijat said at the Discover UP conclave.Unveiling the state’s evolving strategy, Abhijat said four world-class museums are under development, including a museum of Rituals and a Naval Museum, part of which has already been inaugurated.“Museums are no longer static spaces. They are becoming engaging, interactive destinations,” he said, adding that the focus is on city, village and theme-based museums.Plans are also underway for a perfume museum in Kannauj and craft-based experiential centres near Varanasi to showcase traditions such as sari weaving. The state is also working on interpretation centres linked to culture, crafts, textiles, literature, military heritage and local history, he said.The push is part of a broader shift towards experience-led tourism. “Tourism is no longer purely destination-driven. Visitors are looking for experiences,” Abhijat said, citing rising interest in wellness, medical, mango and heritage tourism.He said the ‘Visit My State’ campaign, conceived by chief minister Yogi Adityanath, aims to encourage residents to explore UP through interconnected itineraries. “It is not just a campaign but an effort to build a travel culture and help people discover the diversity of their own state,” he added.The state is also moving from destination promotion to destination development, with a focus on integrated tourism circuits. These include the Baba Neeb Karori Maharaj circuit linking Delhi, Vrindavan, Firozabad, Sankisa and Lucknow, and the proposed Bundelkhand Fort circuit centred on key forts such as Kalinjar. Naimisharanya is also being developed as a major spiritual destination.Highlighting infrastructure-led growth, Abhijat cited Varanasi and Ayodhya as examples. Varanasi alone now has nearly 1,100 homestays, along with new four- and five-star hotels, boosting local jobs and entrepreneurship.Ecotourism is being expanded in Dudhwa and Katarniaghat, while an international firm has initiated work on a nearly 500-acre grassland conservation and tourism project. Investment proposals worth around Rs 36,000 crore have been received under the state’s tourism policy, with subsidies of up to 25% of capital investment, capped at Rs 40 crore.Rural tourism is another focus area, with 40 new villages added, taking the total to 263. The initiative aims to connect urban tourists with village life, culture and agriculture-based experiences.
