Finally! Central Stats Reflect Tourism Turnaround in MP
Akbar Khan
Bhopal — In one of the most phenomenal turnarounds in recent times, latest Union Tourism Ministry statistics have recorded colossal growth in the number of domestic tourist arrivals in Madhya Pradesh, a scenario virtually unthinkable barely a few years ago.
Moving up four notches from the number nine position in 2007, Madhya Pradesh is now ranked fifth as a destination of choice amongst domestic tourists, with over 2.20 crore travelers visiting the state in 2008.
With the 2008 figures, a 100 per cent improvement on the 1.10 crore tourist footfalls recorded in 2006, the state now enjoys a 3.9 per cent market share in the country’s domestic tourism segment.
Though, the northward movement of the state tourism graph, ending higher than traditional tourism hubs like Goa, Kerala and Uttarakhand surprised many, it was not a flash in the pan but the result of a brilliant renaissance effort embarked upon by the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation, a few years ago.
Considered a straggler until then, the corporation launched an extensive image makeover that started on the inside, a facelift was accorded to existing hotels and resorts and new ones were added, menus and service standards were reworked to match the expectations of the discerning traveler.
The changes on the inside were complimented by some aggressive marketing that saw the state redesign its value offering to both tourists and travel agents and back it up with some robust brand building measures, to complete, perhaps, the first leg of the revitalization plan.
While terming the surge in the number of domestic tourists a proof of the efficacy of corporation strategy, industry watchers attribute the low foreign tourist figures to the current global economic slowdown and patchy air connectivity.
Despite the record number of tourists in 2008, Madhya Pradesh still ended way short of the top of the table position posted by Andhra Pradesh with a whopping 13.26 crore domestic tourists and a 23.6 per cent market share, which, the experts say, along with several untapped tourism destinations in the state provides an ideal roadmap for the future.
