Lucknow, Oct 17 (IANS): In a bid to promote tourism along its major historic cities, Uttar Pradesh would be kick-starting a "Heritage Air-Services" from next year, an official said on Monday.

This air network would be started in Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Allahabad and Kanpur, the official added.

The air service will have small aircraft that will fly between the selected tourist and heritage cities, an official said while adding that the state government was in the process of finalising the players for this ambitious scheme.

Principal Secretary (Tourism) Navneet Sehgal informed that apart from the air service, the tourism department would also be launching a new mobile application, cuisine festivals, single platform facilities for investors in the sector and a roadmap where in more footfalls were ensured in the state's tourist hot spots.

"A special emphasis is being laid on developing and strengthening the infrastructure in the places where tourists come in large numbers, but we are also trying to ensure that people from all over the country and the world also realise that UP is much beyond the ghats of Varanasi and the Taj Mahal in Agra," Sehgal told IANS.

Sehgal also said that in this bid by the state government, as directed by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, a roadmap had been put in place and officials were working in this direction on set timelines.

He also added that modern people friendly centres would be opened along the Heritage Arch - Agra, Lucknow and Varanasi.