Chandigarh,16 February 2026: Punjab Tourism was honoured with the prestigious Best Rural Tourism Award during the valedictory ceremony of India Travel Mart (ITM) Chandigarh 2026, recognising the state’s outstanding initiatives in promoting experiential village tourism, farm stays, and sustainable rural travel experiences. The award was received by Dampreet Walia, Joint Director, Punjab Tourism.

During the event, Punjab Tourism showcased the state’s rich cultural, historical, and spiritual heritage along with its rapidly expanding rural tourism sector. The presentation highlighted Punjab’s diverse tourism experiences, including agricultural tourism, eco-tourism, water tourism, farm stays, and bed & breakfast initiatives, supported by progressive tourism policies and investment-friendly initiatives introduced by the state government.

Punjab Tourism representatives also emphasised the state’s deep-rooted spiritual and historical significance. Punjab is home to several revered Sikh Takhts, including the prominent Akal Takht, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, making it a major centre for religious and heritage tourism. The presentation also highlighted Punjab’s vibrant festivals, cultural celebrations, and large-scale religious events that attract visitors from across India and abroad.

Punjab Tourism shared updates on its flagship cultural festival, Rangla Punjab, scheduled around late February to early March, which celebrates the state’s folk traditions, cuisine, music, and rural lifestyle experiences. The department also highlighted Punjab’s continued participation in major national and international travel exhibitions such as India Travel Mart, strengthening its outreach to travel trade stakeholders and expanding tourism promotion efforts.

The presentation further highlighted Punjab’s historic commemorations, including the 350th martyrdom anniversary observances of Guru Tegh Bahadur, which witnessed large-scale cultural and religious events, particularly around Anandpur Sahib and other important religious centres. Punjab Tourism also shared plans for upcoming large-scale celebrations being prepared by the state government for the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, expected to attract significant pilgrim and tourist interest.

Throughout the three-day exhibition, Punjab Tourism witnessed enthusiastic engagement from travel agents, tour operators, wedding planners, MICE planners, and general visitors from across Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and neighbouring regions. The exhibition provided an effective platform for business networking, destination promotion, and strengthening tourism partnerships.

India Travel Mart (ITM) Chandigarh concluded successfully, reaffirming its position as one of India’s leading travel networking platforms, facilitating meaningful interactions between tourism boards, travel trade professionals, hospitality stakeholders, and travellers while contributing significantly to the growth of domestic tourism.