L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena launches Ladakh Tourism, Sacred Buddha Relics Exposition portals

L-G says such key digital initiatives will boost tourism and cultural outreach

Leh, April 8: In a bid to strengthen Ladakh’s tourism sector and promote its rich cultural heritage, the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, today launched the official Ladakh Tourism portal (https://tourism.ladakh.gov.in/) at the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat in the presence of venerable rinpoches, monks and senior government officials.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor also launched the official portal for the Sacred Exposition of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha (https://tathagata.co.in/), marking a significant step towards enhancing Ladakh’s global spiritual and cultural outreach.

The tourism website has been conceptualised on the directions of the Lieutenant Governor as a comprehensive digital platform to serve as a central hub for promoting Ladakh as a premier travel destination. The platform will provide authentic, reliable and updated information to tourists while facilitating the growth of the tourism sector.

The website has been designed to be dynamic and user-friendly, featuring a tourism calendar to enable visitors to plan their travel around key festivals and events. It showcases Ladakh’s diverse offerings, including its spiritual and cultural heritage, tribal traditions, petroglyphs and rock art, adventure tourism, wildlife, astro-tourism, eco-tourism, wellness tourism, cuisine, sports, as well as its potential as a film destination and winter tourism hub. It will also provide tourists with real-time advisory on health, travel and weather conditions.

The portal will also enable online registration of hotels, guest houses and homestays. In a major ease-of-doing-business reform, inspired by Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”, the number of documents required for registration has been reduced from 18 to just 2, while the validity period has been extended from one year to five years, thereby eliminating the need for annual renewals and reducing procedural burdens for the hotels/homestays/guest houses.

“These initiatives mark a significant step towards leveraging digital technology for tourism promotion, improving service delivery and preserving Ladakh’s cultural legacy, thereby reinforcing the UT Administration’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive development,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Ladakh Tourism portal, that has been launched for the first time since the inception of Ladakh as a Union territory, would enable AI-curated travel planning, allowing tourists to customise their itineraries based on their personal interests and budget. The primary objective is to promote tourism in Ladakh in a manner that benefits local communities while positioning Ladakh as a leading destination for adventure, spiritual and wellness tourism. Also, the digital platform would help showcase the region’s offerings globally, reaching audiences across the world.

The Lieutanant Governor also launched the website for the Sacred Exposition of the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha. This assumes significance in view of the upcoming historic event, which will commence on May 1 on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. The platform will provide detailed information about the exposition and associated programmes such as interfaith dialogues and seminars. It will also enable devotees to book online slots and obtain priority passes for the veneration of the sacred relics.