10 special tourism zones to promote tourism in MP

Bhopal: As many as 10 special tourism zones will be developed for promoting tourism in the state. A meeting of State Tourism Development Council chaired by Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan here today gave in-principle sanction to this proposal. Special tourism zones will be established in Indira Sagar, Gandhi Sagar, Bansagsar, Sanchi, Orchha, Mandu, Khajuraho, Datia, Tawa Nagar-Madhai and Tamiya-Patalkot. Concessions will be given in registration fees, stamp duty, entertainment tax, motor tax etc. to tourism projects to be established in special tourism zones.
Tourist activities have been identified for each zone. Water and eco tourism have been selected for Indira Sagar, Gandhi Sagar, Bansagar and Tawa Nagar, heritage tourism for Datia, Khajuraho and Mandu and eco tourism will be promoted in Tamia.
Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed to identify more special tourism zones besides these 10 areas and develop a special tourist circuit by linking religious tourism destinations with each other. He said that in view of immense potential in domestic tourism, priorities of infrastructural arrangements at tourist places will have to be fixed. He said that an investor-friendly policy has been chalked out to attract investments in tourism sectors. Private and public sectors’ participation has been promoted.
It was informed at the meeting that number of tourists in the state has increased about four-fold during the last five years. It was 11 million in the year 2006, which increased to 44 million in the year 2011. A list of new tourist destinations of the state has been chalked out. As many as seven forts and fortresses of private and state ownership have been identified for promoting heritage tourism. These include Rampur Fort (Guna), Arjun Palace (Narsingarh-Rajgarh), Rani Palace (Tikamgarh), Rani Palace (Ratlam), Scindia Boarding House (Neemuch), Rajgarh Palace (Datia) and Madhavgarh Palace (Satna).
It was informed at the meeting that roads leading to major tourist destinations are being improved. New air routes have been identified including Khajuraho–Jaipur, Khajuraho-Mumbai, Jabalpur-Mumbai, Jabalpur-Kolkata and Bhopal-Varanasi. Similarly, helicopter service has been proposed between Bhopal-Pachmarhi, Bhopal-Ujjain, Omkareshwar-Bhopal-Sanchi, Bhimbethka-Tawa, Gwalior-Shivpuri, Orchha, Khajuraho, Indore, Indore-Mandu-Gandhi Sagar. An annual calendar has also been chalked out to promote round-the-year tourist activities. Outlines for Jheel Mahotsava to be held at Bhopal in January 2013 are being chalked out.
Urban Administration Minister Shri Babulal Gaur, Tourism Minister Shri Tukojirao Puar, Forest Minister Shri Sartaj Singh, PWD Minister Shri Nagendra Singh, Industries Minister Shri Kailash Vijayvargiya, Chief Secretary Shri R. Parasuram, Principal Secretary Urban Administration Shri S.P.S. Parihar, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Shri Raghavendra Singh, Indian Domestic Tourism Federation President Shri Subhash Verma, Travel Agents Association of India president Shri M. Iqbal, Shri Subhash Goel of Indian Association of Tour Operators, Shri Manu Bhatnagar of Intec and Shri K.K. Mohammad of Archaeological Survey of India were also present on the occasion.