15 water bodies notified to encourage water tourism

Bhopal: The series of road shows and investors meet to be organised in different places began in Bhopal today with the aim of promoting investment in tourism sector in state. Road Shows and Investors Meets will be organized in seven more places in the next two months to apprise them with possibilities and facilities of investment in tourism and the New Tourism Policy.

It was told at the Investors Meet that land is being allotted for 16 types of tourism projects. A Land Bank of nearly 477 hectares has been made. About Rs 24 crore capital funding has been made available to nearly 19 units. 15 water bodies have been notified to encourage water tourism. Land allocation process has been made totally transparent.

Inaugurating the first Road Show and Investors Meet in Bhopal State Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Tapan Bhoumik said that state government has implemented investor-friendly tourism policy in state. He has urged investors that they come forward to invest in tourism by taking the benefit of appeasement policy. Talking about the possibilities of tourism in state Shri Bhoumik said that house-boats, cruise and other water sport activities have been started in water-tourism areas.

Tourism Secretary and Tourism Board M.D. Hari Ranjan Rao said that the tourism sector is the main medium of employment generation today. Shri Rao said that nearly 78 job are created on an investment of Rs 10 lakhs in the tourism sector which is more than in other sectors. He told that more than a dozen hotels and resort in state’s hill station Pachmarhi are mostly full. It is clear that there are maximum possibilities in the hotel and hospitality sector in state. It has been decided to ensure its participation in private sector.

Director Investment Promotion of Tourism Board A.K. Rajoria apprised with the new tourism policy and its main points including water tourism policy, development of heritage hotels, participation of private sector in running of Marg Suvidha Kendras and Home-stay Yojana in his presentation. He told that there is need for more than 19,000 rooms in the state by coming 2020. It is clear that there are better opportunities for private sector in hotel and hospitality. There is possibility of nearly 10 time rise in employment and capital investment in tourism sector in the next one decade. Apart from the objectives of the newly constituted Tourism Board, its working system, Investment Promotion Cell, Land Bank, organizing of third Jal-Mahotsav Hanuvantiya useful information regarding new potential in tourism sector, road-map and future possibilities were also given in the presentation. At the outset, C.I.I Chairman K.S. Nanda, Pradeep and Rajesh Agrawal welcomed the guests. Queries of the participants and investors were also answered during the questiona-answer session.-WTN