Patna: The Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) marked World Tourism Day on Saturday with a symposium and seminar in Patna aimed at giving the state’s tourism sector a global identity.
Addressing the gathering at the Sikh Heritage Building on Daroga Prasad Rai Path, tourism director Nand Kishore said the government was committed to preserving historic sites while creating modern infrastructure. Stakeholders including hotel managers, tour operators and tourism associations joined discussions on the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Change,” stressing the need to raise awareness and promote smaller industries.
To mark the day, BSTDC offered a 10% discount at its hotels and facilities such as the aerial ropeways at Rajgir and Mandar, Prakash Kunj and M V Kautilya Vihar. At Patna airport, domestic and international visitors were greeted with roses by corporation staff.
Speakers emphasised Bihar’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage, highlighting centres such as Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali, Bodhgaya, Patna Sahib and Champaran. They underlined the importance of enhancing facilities to attract global visitors while retaining links to folk traditions and religious diversity.
Industry figures including Ramlal Khetan of the Bihar Industries Association, CII’s Narendra Kumar, Siddharth Jain of Hotel Taj Patna, and other business and cultural leaders attended the event.
