Budget hotels are need of hour to woo tourism in MP

Bhopal. Stressing the need to promote religious tourism, Tourism Minister Shri Tukojirao Puar said that budget hotels should be established to meet this goal. He said that tourism potential needs to be widely tapped. Its possibilities should be explored in areas around tourist destinations. Shri Puar was chairing a meeting of departmental Advisory Committee here today.

Shri Puar said that religious tourists will have facility of lodging at low cost due to establishment of budget hotels. The Tourism Minister said that special attention should also be paid to promoting tourism in the state and increasing the number of national and international tourists. Shri Puar said that tourism potential of Madhya Pradesh should be tapped in a planned manner and efforts should be made to project the state on the tourism map of world.

The Tourism Minister directed to achieve physical targets and expedite construction works under various schemes. Shri Puar instructed to increase number of buses on lucrative routes like Bhopal-Indore. He said that process of purchasing buses should be initiated by the Corporation by taking loans from HUDCO and other financial institutions.

Members Shri Tarachand Bawariya, Shri Ramlal Malviya and Smt. L.B. Lobo also put forth suggestions about intensification of tourism activities in their respective areas.

Giving information about departmental activities, Principal Secretary Tourism Shri S.P.S. Parihar made the meeting aware about steps taken to promote tourism. He informed that amendments in the existing tourism policy are under consideration.

Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director Shri Raghavendra Singh gave information about departmental activities through a presentation. He also informed about action taken on the suggestions made by the members at the last meeting. Shri Singh gave information about construction works under various projects. He said that the corporation has opened its offices at Varanasi and Surat. He informed that the number of national and international tourists in Madhya Pradesh was 4 core 43 lakh 89 thousand 379 during year 2011, which was 16 percent more than the last year. National Geographic TV channel is shooting films at tourist destinations of the state. The corporation has been awarded for outstanding works in tourism sector.