Quick answer: Chandigarh Tourism is the UT Administration’s tourism department — official site chandigarhtourism.gov.in, 24-hour tourist helpline 1800 180 2116, and an e-ticketing app for attractions. Day-to-day tourist services like the Sukhna boating, the city bus tour and three government hotels are run by its corporation, CITCO.
✍️ By Rahul Goyal · Chandigarh Life
Search “Chandigarh tourism” and you get a muddle of booking portals and blogs. Here is the clean version: who actually runs tourism in Chandigarh, what the department offers a visitor, and where our own on-the-ground guides pick up from there.
The department, in short
| Official website | chandigarhtourism.gov.in |
| Tourist helpline | 1800 180 2116 (24 hours) |
| Office | 4th Floor, Paryavaran Bhawan, Madhya Marg, Sector 19-B, Chandigarh |
| chdtourism123@gmail.com | |
| E-ticketing | The department’s Tourism app (iOS and Android) for attraction tickets |
What the department actually does for you
- E-tickets for city attractions through its app.
- A 24-hour helpline (1800 180 2116) for tourist help.
- Bed & Breakfast / homestay registration — the official scheme for hosts, with the policy and application on the site.
- Travel desk, itineraries and brochures for planning, plus a published list of city hotels.
- An events calendar of official fairs and festivals (downloadable from the homepage).
- Film-shoot facilitation — the site even lists films shot in Chandigarh.
Department vs CITCO: who runs what
The department sets policy and promotion; CITCO, the Administration’s corporation, operates the visitor-facing businesses — the boating and Mermaid cafeteria at Sukhna, the hop-on-hop-off bus, and the three CITCO hotels (Mountview, Shivalikview, Parkview).
The places the department promotes — and our guides to them
- Capitol Complex — the UNESCO World Heritage site (guided tours run from the tourist office there)
- Rock Garden · Sukhna Lake · Bird Park · Open Hand Monument
- Rose Garden · Japanese Garden · Terraced Garden · Botanical Garden
- Government Museum & Art Gallery · Air Force Heritage Centre
Official fairs on the calendar
The department’s own listing runs through the year: the Chandigarh National Craft Mela, the Chandigarh Carnival, the Chrysanthemum Show, a New Year extravaganza, World Tourism Day week, and art classes at the Le Corbusier Centre’s Open Hand studios. For dates and what is on this season, see our events guide and festival calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Chandigarh tourist helpline number?
1800 180 2116 — the tourism department’s 24-hour toll-free helpline.
How do I buy tickets for Chandigarh attractions online?
Through the tourism department’s e-ticketing app (iOS and Android), linked from chandigarhtourism.gov.in; several attractions also sell tickets at the gate.
Who runs the boating at Sukhna Lake and the city bus tour?
CITCO — the Administration’s tourism corporation — runs the boating, the Mermaid cafeteria, the hop-on-hop-off bus and three city hotels.
Can I register my home as a homestay in Chandigarh?
Yes — the department runs an official Bed & Breakfast / homestay registration scheme; the policy and application are on its website.
Sources: the department’s official website chandigarhtourism.gov.in (helpline, office address, app, homestay scheme, fairs listing), checked in the browser on 26 September 2026.