Good response from pvt players to develop tourism in MP

“There are also provisions for relaxation in stamp duty,luxury tax and entertainment tax,” Choudhary said,adding the response from private sector was fairly good.

Stating that the public-private model was being encouraged in converting heritage properties into hotels,he said,the state-owned Govindgarh palace of Rewa was leased out to be renovated into a hotel.

Similarly,hotel Rahil in Khajuraho and a wayside amenity in Khalghat have been given to private players,he said.

Development of water tourism infrastructure with public private partnership was reaching a final stage in Indira Sagar.

Omkareshwar,Sailana Island,Joga Kila were also on the map of water tourism development,he said.

MP tourism earned a total revenue of Rs 80.95 crore in last fiscal year and targets touching Rs 100 crore revenue in the current fiscal,he said.

MP tourism would invest around Rs 170 crore for creating new facilities and promoting new tourist destinations,Choudhary said.

New projects were in the pipeline like resorts and adventure tourism at the Indira Sagar dam and Gandhi Sagar dam,convention centres in Jabalpur and Gwalior,besides resort and tourism in Mandu.

Choudhary said that the state received over 4.43 crore tourists in 2011 of which nearly 2.70 lakh were foreign ones.

“This year we will try to attract more foreign tourists for which MP tourism is participating in many road shows and overseas travel marts,” he said.

Keeping in view the tourist inflow in the coming years,MPT has decided to develop wayside amenities at a distance of every 40-50 km for which 268 places have been identified in the state.

Of them,45 wayside amenities would be developed this fiscal,he added.