Gujarat Tourism has seen a significant increase in tourist footfall due to their unique festivals. The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat organises various festivals which have been a great success in attracting avid travellers. Rann Utsav, Saputara paragliding festival and international kite flying festival (Uttarayan) have been the most popular among the lot. These festivals were started to promote the culture and tradition of the region.
Speaking about the success of these festivals, Kirit S Bhatt, representative, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat said, ?The Rann Utsav has seen a rising popularity amongst both domestic and international tourists. This festival promotes the art, culture and tradition of Gujarat. The kite flying festival is celebrated throughout Gujarat, but Ahmedabad hosts the international kite flying festival, which has seen a good number of international participants. The Saputara paragliding festival is still at a nascent stage, but there has been a good response. Saputara is Gujarat’s only hill station and we are promoting it as an adventure tourism spot.?
The Rann Utsav is a carnival organised during the full moon night of the winters. This festival is an excellent platform to display vernacular architecture and a range of arts and crafts of the region. In recent years this festival has been popular around the world and has significantly helped in increasing tourism.
Saputara paragliding festival is organised by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat along with private partners. This is the first time India is hosting a paragliding festival. The idea behind hosting this festival is to promote adventure sports and promote Saputara as a paragliding destination. Saputara is a beautiful and uncluttered hill station. While paragliding one can see the overview of the beautiful Saputara lake.
According to the Hindu calender, Makar Sankranti which is the beginning of the year is celebrated with huge pomp and splendour in Gujarat. To mark the beginning of the year, the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat hosts international kite flying festival (Uttarayan). Each year, on January 14 the skies are filled with kites of various shapes and colour, which is a visual treat for the tourists.
