It's Not Sand Cheap, Anymore

Jaisalmer will soon have a special tourist tax to raise funds for the development and maintenance of the historic town. The fund-starved district administration has decided to levy a cess on both foreign and domestic tourists, depending on the grade of their hotel. The money raised will be used for improving infrastructure and for keeping the sand dunes outside the town, a major tourist attraction, clean. Thirteen theme parks will also be set up with the help of voluntary organisations and the army. On an average, Jaisalmer attracts 50,000 foreign and one lakh domestic tourists every year. Recently, there have been suggestions that Jaisalmer fort and other tourist attractions in the town needed to be better looked after.