Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, addressed the 'Grace Hindustan 2.0 Uttarakhand' national wedding professionals conference in Dehradun, organised by the International Convention of Event Industries (ICEI), reaffirming his government's commitment to developing the state as a premier destination wedding hub.

Context

Speaking at the summit, CM Dhami said that realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Wed in Uttarakhand' vision is among his government's top priorities. He outlined plans to develop Triyuginarayan, Onkareshwar (Ukhimath), Ramnagar, Tehri, and Mussoorie — along with other suitable sites — into world-class destination wedding centres, with work already under way at a rapid pace.

The CM framed the initiative in economic terms, stating that it is 'not limited to promoting tourism alone, but is also a powerful medium for giving new momentum to the local economy, employment, and self-employment.'

Policy Backdrop

Triyuginarayan, a sacred temple in the Rudraprayag district, holds mythological significance as the site of the divine wedding of Shiva and Parvati, making it a natural anchor for spiritual wedding tourism. The state's push aligns with the broader national Swadesh Darshan scheme, launched in 2014-15, which funds thematic tourism circuits including spiritual and cultural sites across Uttarakhand.

India's destination wedding market has grown significantly in the post-pandemic period, with multiple states competing to attract high-value domestic and inbound wedding bookings. Uttarakhand's strategy differentiates itself by weaving the state's Devbhoomi (land of the gods) identity into its wedding tourism offering, combining spiritual settings with natural landscapes.

Stakeholders and Impact

CM Dhami emphasised that the goal is not merely to increase tourist footfall but to give every visitor 'an unforgettable experience of Devbhoomi's spiritual consciousness, rich cultural heritage, unparalleled natural beauty, and warm hospitality.' This positions the state's offering as experiential rather than volume-driven.

The beneficiaries span a wide chain: event management professionals, local hospitality businesses, artisans, caterers, transport operators, and youth seeking self-employment in the tourism sector. The ICEI conference itself brought together national wedding industry professionals, signalling growing private-sector interest in the state as a viable destination wedding market.

Beyond weddings, the CM noted that spiritual tourism, wellness tourism, and cultural tourism are being simultaneously promoted as complementary pillars of the state's broader tourism economy.

What's Next

The state government is expected to follow up the conference with infrastructure investments and policy incentives at the five named sites. Future state tourism budgets and policy announcements will be closely watched for specific timelines and funding allocations tied to the destination wedding development programme.

With the 'Wed in Uttarakhand' initiative now firmly on the national tourism agenda, the state's ability to convert high-profile summits into on-ground infrastructure and tangible employment outcomes will determine whether Uttarakhand can emerge as India's leading destination wedding state.