Punjab’s Nawan Pind Sardaran village in Gurdaspur district has been recognized as the Best Tourism Village of India for 2023. This award was presented during the launch of ‘Global Travel for Life’ on World Tourism Day, organized by the union ministry of tourism at Pragati Maidan in Delhi.
The village received this honor for its efforts in promoting and preserving Punjab’s cultural heritage and achieving sustainable development through tourism. A total of 750 villages from 31 states and UTs participated in the competition for the Best Tourism Village Recognition 2023.
During the ceremony, the award was presented to Principal Secretary of the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department, Rakhee Gupta Bhandari, Deputy Commissioner of Gurdaspur, Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal, and village representative Satwant Sangha. Sheetal Behl, the manager of projects at the Department of Tourism, also attended to receive the award from the Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, V. Vidyavathi.
Bhandari expressed gratitude and highlighted the efforts of the locals in preserving their ancestral havelis (mansions) and promoting them as popular rural tourism destinations. These havelis, such as ‘The Kothi’ and ‘Pipal Haveli,’ are now attracting tourists from various parts of the country and even abroad. The village worked closely with the Punjab tourism department to achieve this success.
