The Bihar government has instructed all state employees to take mandatory family trips to tourist destinations within the state once every three months and submit feedback reports to help boost tourism, officials said on Tuesday. According to a May 20 letter issued by Additional Chief Secretary (General Administration) B Rajender to departmental heads, divisional commissioners, district magistrates and superintendents of police, employees must spend two days and two nights visiting tourist, eco-tourism or rural tourism sites located outside their home districts.

The trips are to be planned over Fridays and Saturdays, during which employees are expected to visit at least three tourist spots and stay overnight. The directive noted that Bihar possesses rich cultural traditions, environmental heritage and historically important destinations with the potential to become major tourism centres nationally and internationally. It added that encouraging officials to explore these locations and provide suggestions would support tourism growth and infrastructure development.

Employees have also been told not to hold review meetings or conduct official inspections during these visits. After completing the tour, employees must submit a report with photographs, details of the places visited and their experiences to their respective departments or district magistrates.

Nodal officers in district magistrate offices, divisional commissioner offices and state departments will collect the reports and forward them to departments including Tourism, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Art and Culture. The government said the initiative is likely to boost local economic activity while giving visitors opportunities to experience local culture, cuisine and hospitality. The travel period will be treated as official duty.