23 foreign bikers tour Himachal to discover its adventure potential

A group of 23 bikers, including participants from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, are touring Himachal Pradesh and Uttarkahand to discover the adventure potential of these two hill states.

Dharamsala, Oct 19 : A group of 23 bikers, including participants from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, are touring Himachal Pradesh and Uttarkahand to discover the adventure potential of these two hill states.

The 'Discover India' rally will cover a distance of 1000 kilometres over eight days.

Navigating winding hill roads on 'Enfield Bullets', the bikers started from Amritsar in Punjab. On Thursday, they journeyed from the picturesque hill town of Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh.

V K Garg, the organiser of the rally, said its objective is to promote adventure tourism in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"They (the bikers) will see the hills and what kind of facilities are available for tourists. They will also explore potential for river rafting, water sports and paragliding," said Garg.

The impression that they would carry back with them would help in promoting tourism in these states, he added.

Letitia Harvey, an Australian biker, said: "When I go home I will tell people they must come here. Its an indescribable experience."

Andy Reid, another participant, said: "It's been fantastic learning and seeing different cultures."

The rally will culminate in Uttarakhand's Haridwar city.

With their panorama of temples, rivers and barren mountain peaks, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have been pitching aggressively to tap the vast potential of adventure sports.

Analysts, however, say Indian tourism suffers mainly from poor marketing and its inability to exploit the potential of the country's snow-clad Himalayas, forests, palaces and sun-soaked beaches.

ANI