Govt. to develop 29 mega tourist desintations, circuits: Selja

Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja today said her Ministry had identified 29 mega destinations and circuits, on the basis of footfalls and their future potential for tourism projects.

Addressing a symposium here on "Incredible India: Managing Destinations", Ms Selja said that 21 of these destinations and projects had already been sanctioned.

She said the development plans for these destinations and circuits were being synergised with the infrastructure schemes and plans of other related ministries such as Urban Development, Civil Aviation, Road Transport & Highways, Railways and Food Processing Industries.

She said these efforts were expectd to deliver better connectivity to all major tourist destinations and world heritage sites.

Ms Selja said some of these destinations were being planned as "slum-free" areas under the Rajiv Awas Yojana of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, which also is headed by her.

The Minister said a major exercise had been taken up to improve tourism infrastructure in coordination with State Governmetns. In the first two years of the XIth Plan, projects worth Rs 1553.07 crores were sanctioned for 514 tourism projects covering all the states for according a world class experience to the tourists, she said.

She said a scheme of promoting Public Private Partnerships for large revenue generating tourism projects had been finalized. A new scheme of Viability Gap Funding for assisting private sector driven tourism projects has also been launched, she said.

Ms Selja said the Government recognised that the true potential of tourism lay in responsible practices on both the demand and supply sides of the tourism chan, enabling an effective response to climate change.

This is closely interlinked with inclusive growth through sustainable community participation. She mentioned, in this context, the rural tourism proejct taken up by her Ministry, which positions India’s rural ways of life as a unique visitor experience in low impact setting. She said 158 rural tourism sites had been identified till date and Ministry of Tourism has partnered with UNDP for projects in 36 sites.

Ms Selja said the Ministry was also working on new and niche products such as Caravan Tourism, Cruise Tourism, Wellness and Medical Tourism, and so on to cater to varied interests of the discerning traveller. She said the objective was to offer real experiences to travellers with minimal adverse impact on the socio-environmental structures.

The Minister said, the innovations in the tourism industry are the key for the success of a destination. It helps withstand competition in the global tourism market. Recognizing this, her Ministry enterprises to develop new and niche products such as Caravan Tourism, Cruise Tourism, Wellness & Medical Tourism, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions etc. to cater to the varied interests of the discerning traveler. She said, objective is to offer real experiences to travelers with minimization of the adverse impact on the socio-environmental structures.

NNN