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Economic
Development Policy |
| TOURISM
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INTRODUCTION
The
world has become a global community bringing people together and
crashing distances between places. Travel has become global and
the expanding tourism market has not left any place untouched.
Growing wealth and increasing propensity to travel has led to a
huge demand for tourism. Tourism has emerged as a major economic
activity characterised by the following:
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It
is a High growth, high potential sector -
The
travel and tourism industry plays an important role in
generating wealth through out the economy. This sector is
expected to grow at the rate of 8.4 % per annum in India
and therefore offers a huge opportunity.
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It
is an Employment intensive industry - Tourism
generates employment opportunities at various levels
especially for the un-skilled and semi-skilled people. By
2010 it is expected to account for at least 1 in every 15
jobs in India. (World
Travel & Tourism Council)
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It
has a large multiplier effect -
A
traveller’s spending flows
– through the entire economy and increases the
circulation of money in the state.
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It
catalyses the growth of other sectors –
Tourism acts as a catalyst for the development of other
sectors. It stimulates the provision for better
infrastructure, impacts industry - especially the small
scale and rural industry and also creates a pull for
agricultural produce
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Tourism
thus has a large role to play in the Economic Development of any
state. Madhya Pradesh has the advantage of having a large number
of diverse tourist destinations. Tremendous diversity and
mystique, the cultural heritage, cuisine, festivals and art and
craft make Madhya Pradesh an ideal tourist destination.
In
view of the huge economic benefits, the potential growth rates, as
well as the potential for broad based balanced regional growth
that can be achieved, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has
identified Tourism as one of its growth engines.
Despite
MP’s strengths as a tourist destination and the government’s
initiatives, MP has not been able to attract tourists or investors
to the state. This can be attributed mainly to issues of
connectivity to the destinations, few marketing and promotion
initiatives, lack of recreational facilities for the tourist and
an unfriendly tax structure.
POLICY
THRUST
The
state has identified three key intervention areas to give a thrust
to the tourism sector in the state. These are
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Ensuring
connectivity to destinations |
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Marketing
and promoting MP as a tourism destination |
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Creating
a favourable environment for private sector participation
in tourism development.
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The
state envisages its role as that of a facilitator, leaving
the main thrust of development to the private sector. |
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PROVIDING
ACCESS TO DESTINATIONS
The
biggest bottleneck in the development of Tourism in Madhya Pradesh
has been the lack of physical connectivity to its destinations. The
government is therefore committed to provide better connectivity
to tourist destinations. It has initiated the following to
ensure better access to major tourist towns:
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Providing
Air Linkages – The
poor air connectivity of Madhya Pradesh with Mumbai and
Delhi has been a major inhibiting factor for the foreign
tourists. The government of Madhya Pradesh is therefore
liaisoning with the Central Government for the following:. |
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A
Mumbai – Aurangabad – Bhopal – Khajuraho
link to enable tourists coming to Mumbai to visit
Khajuraho.
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Upgradation
of Bhopal, Indore and Khajuraho as international
airports
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Providing
Better Road Linkages – The
government has undertaken a massive programme of road
upgradation and construction to ensure easy access to
tourist destinations . As part of the Rs. 500 crore Bond
roads program, all major tourist destinations like
Khajuraho, Orchha, Pachmarhi, Mandu, Sanchi, Bandavgarh,
Kanha, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Satna, Maihar, Chitrakoot
will have excellent road connectivity. This programme is
expected to be completed by the end of the year 2002.
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Providing
Rail linkages –
The government will liaison with the Indian Railways and
the Indian Railways Tourism and Catering Corporation for
the following: |
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Special
Circuit trains or coaches on |
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Gwalior
– Datia – Orchha- Khajuraho – Chitrakoot
route |
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Bhandhavgarh
– Kanha circuit
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MARKETING
& PROMOTING TOURISM IN MADHYA PRADESH
In
the highly competitive global tourism industry, all countries and
states are vying with each other to attract tourists. It therefore
becomes imperative to aggressively promote and market the
state’s relatively unknown tourist destinations.
The state will
therefore endeavour to aggressively market the state to domestic
as well as foreign tourists. The key areas of government
intervention will be
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A
positioning platform for the state |
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Increased
promotion activities |
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Developing
joint circuits with other states
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A
Positioning Platform for the State
To
differentiate its offerings from those of the other states and to
take advantage of its vast natural beauty, the
government of Madhya Pradesh has identified “Ecological and
Adventure Tourism” as the unique selling proposition for the
state. In addition to this the state is also committed to
promoting MP as a cultural and heritage centre. All promotion
activities and advertising campaigns carried out by the state will
endeavour to reinforce this positioning for the state. The state
has announced an investor friendly Eco Adventure Tourism Policy,
which facilitates private sector participation in developing MP as
a centre for Eco-Adventure tourism.
Increased
Promotion Activities
The state
will strive to actively promote the state to foreign as well as
domestic tourists. To show its commitment, the government has
increased substantially the budgetary allocation for promotions.
In addition to this the government proposes to co-ordinate closely
with different associations of the hospitality industry and with
the chambers of commerce to promote MP as a tourism destination.
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The
state will endeavour to attract the domestic tourists to the hill stations and places of
religious interest in MP. The marketing activities of the
state will therefore be heavily oriented towards the
domestic tourists.
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The
state proposes to promote and market Bhopal as both “a tourist hub and a
destination”. Bhopal will act as a tourist
enabler by attracting, retaining and further diverting the
tourist flow to nearby tourist locales like Sanchi and
Bhimbetka. The government will also try to develop Bhopal
as a leisure and entertainment centre. A step in this
direction is the Bhopal Utsav that has been planned for
January 2002. The state will endeavour to organise similar
events in future also.
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Tourism
needs are evolving and the tourist is looking at
experiencing fun, thrill, and adventure in addition to
visiting places. The state government is therefore
proposing to develop multiple hooks for an integrated experience for the
tourist. The government shall therefore |
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Focus
on organising events – building initiatives
around local cultures and traditions to provide a
unique experience to the tourist |
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Encourage
the setting up of craft villages, souvenir shops
etc., which will also give the rural and
handicraft industry a boost |
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Create
a facilitative environment for private sector
participation in providing facilities for world
class adventure and sports tourism – trekking
trails, camping facilities, paragliding, rock
climbing, etc.
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To
government has decided to proactively promote
the state to foreign tourists. The government has
therefore proposed the following: |
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The
state shall participate in the World Trade Mart
London and the ITB Berlin
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Promotional
CD's shall be developed for distribution to travel
writers & tour operators
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Photo
banks and short capsules on various destinations
that have been prepared will be distributed
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Aggressive
publicity shall be done through write-ups and
advertisements in leading magazines
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The
state shall play host to travel writers, TV crews
and tour operators
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The
state is in the process of forging a relationship
of Partner state with the World Travel and Tourism
Council
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To
ensure positive
word of mouth publicity the state will endeavour to
provide a
hassle free experience to the tourists. For this the state
proposes the following:
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Providing
tourist infrastructure like online reservations and
information & tourist reception centres at places of
tourist interest |
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The
state has received a sum of Rs. 45 crores from the
eleventh finance commission. This will be used for
upgrading the tourist facilities in Kanha,
Bandhavgarh & Pench National Parks, and in
Bhedaghat, Lamhetaghat, barmanghat, Satna,
Chitrakoot, Maihar, Katni and Mandla.
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The
state is also in the process of laying out a framework for
recruitment and training of guides
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Developing
Joint Circuits
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The
state is currently liaisoning with the Ministry of Tourism
at the centre for developing joint circuits with the
neighbouring states. The "Heart of India"
circuit involving Rajasthan, Uttar Pardesh and Madhya
Pradesh is already in place.
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The
state will also liaison with the Centre to ensure inter
state co-operation for the free movement of tourists. |
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