Category Archives: States

Recording the highest growth rate in domestic and total tourist arrivals in 24 years, Kerala attracted around 1.96 crore domestic and foreign visitors in 2019, registering a healthy growth of 17.2 per cent as compared to the figures in the previous year. The total earnings from tourism stood at Rs 45,010.69 crore, notching a robust 24.14 per cent increase. The total number of tourists was pegged at 1,95,74,004, of whom there were 1,83,84,233 domestic tourists and 11,89,771 visitors from abroad. In 2018, the number of tourists visiting Kerala was 1,67,01,068 (domestic tourists 1,56,04,661 and foreign tourists 10,96,407).

S.C. Gupta, Chief Secretary, Sikkim, chaired a meeting at Tashiling Secretariat to review and discuss preparedness and action plan for any possible coronavirus outbreak in the State following reports of confirmed cases of a novel coronavirus in some parts of the country. The meeting has decided to suspend all Inner Line Permits (ILPs) issued to visit Sikkim until further notice. The concerned department has been directed to network the information to all stakeholder organisations and offices. The Tourism Department has been directed to monitor the maintenance of registers by owners of hotels, homestays and lodge for travellers of both Indian and Foreign Nationals with their contact details for surveillance purpose. Likewise, the Education Department has been asked to conduct awareness sessions on coronavirus in every school in the State.

To help tourists from Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has got signages put up in Sanchi in Sinhalese language, which is the native language of the island nation, revealed Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (I/C), Tourism & Culture. He says, “Majority of Sri Lankan tourists go to Sanchi, and there we have put up signages in Sinhalese language within 7 days. As a result, we got appreciation within the country as well as in Sri Lanka. Those who are less educated and do not know the language other than Sinhalese, got a chance to read things in their language, which made them feel relieved as well as proud. This is an example would only help us in working in the future. Wherever we have one lakh or more tourists coming, who are not comfortable in Hindi and English, we can offer the signages in their languages and make it easy for them.”

Madhya Pradesh, the Tiger State of India, has reiterated its focus on wild-life tourism and strengthening its ongoing efforts towards combating the threats of climate change by focusing on wildlife conservation and upliftment of forest dwellers. The state will also be focusing on creating favourable conditions for the conservation of tigers especially the endangered Bengal Tiger and the rare White Tiger. Madhya Pradesh ranks first in the country with 526 tigers as per the results of the All India Tiger Assessment declared on July 29, 2019. The state has six tiger reserves (combining parts of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries) namely Kanha, Pench, Satpura, Bandhavgarh, Panna and Sanjay. The state also plans to create around 11 new protected areas within the state from the current numbers of 24 wildlife sanctuaries and 11 national parks. The new areas, covering over 2,100 sq. km, represent perhaps the largest addition of protected areas attempted by any state in the past three decades. According to Faiz Ahmed Kidwai (IAS), Secretary Tourism, Govt of Madhya Pradesh and Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, “Madhya Pradesh is referred to as wildlife state of India with numerous sanctuaries and reserves. At a time where the numbers of many animal species are declining, Madhya Pradesh has played a pivotal part in India’s wildlife conservation programs. As the World Wildlife Day approaches on 3rd March, we would like to reiterate our commitment to protecting endangered wildlife, specially tigers through a scientific, planned and people-centric approach with strict enforcement guidelines and team support.” “From preserving tiger population, to being the state with the highest leopard, vultures and gharial (an endemic crocodile species) population to having successfully increased the population of …

The Madhya Pradesh (MP) government has approved the Film Tourism Policy 2020, offering incentives to filmmakers, promoting private investments and make MP an attractive destination for film shoots. According to the policy, if a filmmaker shoots a film in MP, he will get 50% of grants, the maximum amount of which may be Rs 1 crore. Apart from this, investment in film-related infrastructure will be encouraged with grants and land. Special grants will be given to filmmakers who offer screen time to tourist destinations in the state. For the grants, the filmmaker has to give credit to the state government and the tourism department. The logo of the tourism department and that of the government will be used in the film. A film facilitation cell will also be set up and services will be provided on concessionary rates in the units of MPSTDC. Facilities will be provided through single-window system for shooting films. As per the policy, land will be allotted for film studios, post-production centres, VFX centres, skill development centres, film institute etc.

The Jallianwala Bagh would remain closed for visitors due to its ongoing renovation work till 12th April. The work on restoration and allied services, which is estimated to cost around ₹20 crore, is being done under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the target date for the renovation to be completed is 31st March. A new 15-foot-wide exit gate has been constructed. The old structure around the martyrs’ well has been replaced with glass walls so that visitors can have a clear view of the inside of the well. There is a new light and sound show system being installed. Revamping is also taking place of the 50-seat auditorium on the first floor with a 3-D projection system to showcase documentaries.

The Government of Odisha has approved eight more investment proposals worth Rs.1,649.49 crore in the 89th State Level Single Window Clearance Authority (SLSWCA) meeting, out of which two are hotel proposals. The projects were approved in food processing, chemicals, plastics, tourism, steel downstream and infrastructure and will create employment opportunities for 1,450 people. In the tourism sector, a project by M/s Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Ltd. for expansion of its five-star hotel with an investment of Rs 150 crores, has been approved which will provide employment for 150 people and another proposal by M/s Kamat Hotels (India) Ltd. for expansion of its five-star hotel, with an investment of Rs. 52 crore has also been approved and it will provide an additional employment to around 160 people.

Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) is receiving warm response ahead for its 11th edition this September, with nearly 1,000 people proposing participation within the first three weeks of registration for the country’s biggest tourism event. July 31 is the last date for pre-registration of what is the country’s biggest tourism event that will bring entrepreneurs across India and abroad to the state’s products and services in the travel industry. The three-day biennial event, starting after the inauguration on September 24 evening, will be held at the Sagara and Samudrika Convention Centre of Cochin Port Trust in Willingdon Island here. As pre-registrations started on January 20, as many as 548 applications have come in from within the country, 165 from abroad. These include 47 entries from the international media and 21 from the domestic. The 2000-founded KTM Society is the biggest tourism body of Kerala. “The pre-registration rush shows that KTM continues to show the faith people have in the event,” said KTM President Baby Mathew Somatheeram. “The 2018 KTM could give Kerala’s tourism to new direction and fresh energy after the natural calamity the state faced that year. The coming edition, too, will toe that line, aiming to present innovative products and services that can rejuvenate the sector,” he added.

Bengal Travel Mart (BTM) 2020 will be held from 22-24 February in Siliguri. BTM brings together the business fraternity and tourism products and services. A varied range of sellers with different tourism products of the region will participate in the mart. This B2B event has been carefully thought out and planned in such a way that sellers and potential buyers of services have the opportunity to establish partnerships within the space of a single day or 2 days. The main aim is to expand the geography of sales of the exhibition’s participants and to introduce players to new areas and services to which they previously did not have access. For registrations, please log on to www.bengaltravelmart.in.

The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to promote rural tourism to boost economic activities in the state. PC Sharma, Cabinet Minister of Public Relations Department said the state has received Rs 229 crore as initial funding from the Central government for the same. As per reports, the MP government has identified 100 villages that could be showcased for rural tourism. This would involve a great deal of capacity building and training apart from preparing the villagers for rural homestays and other activities. “The objective of development of rural tourism in MP is to showcase rural life, culture, heritage art and craft, handloom and textile. We will select and groom village entertainment groups to unveil the local history and culture, natural and oral treasures, which are major tourist attraction these days,” said Sharma.