Himachal Pradesh has launched a new statewide tourism campaign aimed at confronting one of the hill state’s most urgent challenges: overtourism. The initiative, titled “That’s You”, signals a decisive shift away from fast, destination-centric travel towards a slower, more immersive tourism model that encourages visitors to spend more time in lesser-known villages rather than crowding into a few popular hotspots.

The campaign was unveiled this week by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who described it as an effort to change how tourists experience the state – from checklist sightseeing to meaningful engagement with Himachal’s landscapes, culture and communities. The programme will be visible to travellers the moment they enter the state, with outreach planned at border checkpoints, airports and heritage railway stations.

Officials say the initiative is designed not just to improve the visitor experience, but also to protect fragile Himalayan ecosystems that have come under increasing strain from record tourist inflows in recent years.

A Response to Record Tourist Numbers

Himachal Pradesh has been grappling with the consequences of mass tourism, particularly during peak summer and winter seasons. In 2024, the state recorded nearly 18 million domestic tourist visits, which is the second-highest figure on record, despite having a resident population of only around 7.5 million. At the height of the season, more than 40,000 vehicles reportedly enter the state every day, overwhelming roads, parking spaces and civic infrastructure.

This pressure is most visible in destinations such as Shimla, Manali and McLeodganj, where traffic gridlock, water shortages and waste management issues have become recurring problems. Residents and environmental experts have repeatedly warned that unchecked tourist volumes could cause lasting damage to the state’s ecology and quality of life.

The “That’s You” campaign seeks to redistribute tourist footfall by nudging visitors away from overcrowded hubs and towards smaller villages and unexplored regions. By encouraging longer stays, the government hopes to reduce the churn of day-trippers while easing pressure on roads, hotels and civic services.

From Destinations to Experiences

At the heart of the campaign is a reimagining of what tourism in Himachal should look like. Rather than promoting only postcard locations, the state is positioning itself as a place to slow down, observe and participate in everyday mountain life. According to Sukhu, the idea is to help visitors “pause, stay longer and interact with local communities to better understand their way of life”.

Tourism Director Vivek Bhatia has confirmed that the campaign will be rolled out at major arrival points such as the Chandigarh–Shimla highway, Gaggal Airport, Bhuntar Airport, and the iconic Kalka–Shimla toy train route. Travellers will be engaged through visual messaging and on-ground outreach that introduces them to lesser-known regions, homestays and cultural experiences.

Officials say the focus will be on village walks, local cuisine, traditional crafts and seasonal agricultural activities, allowing tourists to experience Himachal beyond its busiest towns. This approach is also expected to diversify tourism income, bringing economic benefits to rural communities that have historically remained outside the mainstream tourism economy.

Sustainability and The Road Ahead

Environmental sustainability is a central pillar of the “That’s You” initiative. The government believes that encouraging fewer but longer visits can significantly lower the environmental footprint of tourism by reducing daily traffic inflows, cutting waste generation and easing demand on water and electricity supplies in popular towns.

By spreading visitors across a wider geographical area, the state hopes to protect ecologically sensitive zones while preserving the charm that draws tourists to the Himalayas in the first place. Officials have also indicated that the campaign aligns with broader climate resilience efforts, especially after recent years of extreme weather events that exposed the vulnerability of hill infrastructure.

The launch event was attended by the Chief Minister’s Principal Adviser Gokul Butail and senior officials from the tourism and administration departments, underlining the government’s intent to make the initiative a cornerstone of its tourism policy.

Whether the campaign succeeds will depend on sustained implementation and cooperation from tourists, local businesses and tour operators. But as Himachal Pradesh faces growing pressure from record visitor numbers, the “That’s You” campaign marks a clear attempt to balance economic gains from tourism with environmental protection and community well-being – a balance that could shape the future of travel in the Indian Himalayas.

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