“3 Idiots” boost: More domestic tourists now visit Ladakh

“3 Idiots” boost: More domestic tourists now visit Ladakh
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 13
Aamir Khan’s movie, “3 Idiots”, has not only won accolades and awards, but has also attracted a large number of domestic tourists to Ladakh, which was devastated by a cloudburst last year.

This cold desert is attracting a large number of tourists, especially domestic, due to “Rancho (portrayed by Aamir) and his school”. The movie, the shooting for which started in 2008 and was released in 2009, is proving to be a boon for the “Land of Lamas”. It has also “carved” out new tourist places like Rancho’s school, “Druk White Lotus School”.

Though Ladakh has been a favourite destination of foreign tourists, a large number of domestic tourists have also started coming here due to the movie. And the number has almost doubled as compared to previous years.

“3 Idiots” has given an unexpected fillip to tourism in Ladakh. Earlier, the people living here were dependent on foreign tourists, but this movie has helped in attracting domestic tourists,” said Nissar Hussain, assistant director of the J&K Tourism Department, Ladakh.

He added that, “When the movie was being shot, a number of domestic tourists, especially from Delhi, started coming here, as they came to know from the movie’s trailers that this place had a number of adventurous places, including natural water lakes.”

Citing the figures of tourist arrivals, Hussain said in 2007, 50,579 tourists came to Ladakh, including 28,477 foreigners, but in 2008, when the movie was being shot here, the number of tourists increased to 72,000, including 39,000 domestic tourists. Similarly, in 2009, 48,127 domestic and 30,446 foreign tourists visited the region, he added.

“The earlier trend of more foreign tourists visiting the region has changed. It can also be supported by the figures of 2010, which was the worst period in the history of Ladakh. Still after the devastating cloudburst, 55,685 domestic tourists and 22,115 foreigners arrived here in 2010,” Hussain said, and added , “A tourist here now desires to visit all places which have been shown in the movie”.

Jigmet Takpa, conservator of forests (wildlife), Ladakh, said, “After “3 Idiots”, a number of commercial advertisements are being shot here, boosting the local economy”.

Minister for Tourism Nawang Rigzin Jora, who is also the MLA from Leh, said:“The Tourism Department has been trying its best to attract more and more tourists, both domestic and foreign, especially to this place that was devastated by a cloudburst last year. We are sure that the goal set for this year will definitely be achieved”.

Besides being important for its famous monasteries, Ladakh has interesting places like Khardung La Pass, the world’s highest motorable road, the Nubra valley, the Pangong Lake, the Magnetic Point and the Zanskar valley.

Courtesy: The Tribune