Shimla's Sky Spectacle: How Junga Village Hosts World Paragliding Championship

According to Chauhan, is extremely important for adventure sports and ecotourism.

"This is a major event significant from both eco-tourism and adventure sports perspectives. Pilots from 7 countries and 10 states are participating...Organising an international-level Pre-Asian Championship and Pre-World Cup in such a small village is a commendable effort...This will definitely increase the tourism in Himachal Pradesh....The MSMEs, the entire administration and the government support them...," he said.

In a spectacular boost to ecotourism and adventure sports, the third International Shimla Flying Festival and MSME Hospitality Expo took off at the picturesque village of Junga in Shimla district on Saturday, drawing pilots from seven countries and ten Indian states.

Event organiser Arun Rawat said, "This is an international pre-World Cup in which participants have come from 7 countries and 10 states. The team of judges is also from 3 countries. This is a confluence of adventure and hospitality... The participants' equipment, credentials, certificates, and skills are checked... These activities promote tourism... Our efforts are to create event-based destinations... The event has started today and will continue till the 28th..."

The four-day international event, held from October 25 to 28, has drawn nearly 60 paragliding pilots from seven countries, including India, Malaysia, Finland, Indonesia, Nepal, South Korea, and China, as well as participants from 10 Indian states.

The festival was inaugurated by Naresh Chauhan, Principal Media Advisor to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who flagged off the first group of competitors, marking the official start of the event.

The event organiser, Arun Rawat, highlighted that the competition has been designed as an international convergence of adventure and hospitality, ensuring safety, professionalism, and preparedness in all aspects.

The event, jointly supported by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Department, the MSME sector, and multiple administrative agencies, showcases a strong collaboration between adventure sports and local hospitality businesses.

Nearly all homestays in the region are booked, providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.

As the festival continues till October 28, the skies above Junga will remain vibrant with colourful gliders, symbolising Himachal's growing global reputation as a premier adventure tourism destination.

- ANI