Steena Joy – Khajuraho

The ministry of tourism, Government of India plans to organise a mega India Global Travel Mart from January 10-14, 2017 in Delhi. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the seventh Annual Convention of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), Vinod Zutshi, tourism secretary, Government of India, announced, “The mega India Travel Mart will be on the lines of international trade shows like ITB Berlin and WTM London. We will also be organising a Tourism Investor’s Summit this year from September 21-23 in Delhi.” Zutshi also informed that the new Civil Aviation Policy will be launched soon. “Regional connectivity will be the strength of this policy,” he said.

Zutshi also stated that the MoT plans to  set up a MICE cum cultural centre in Khajuraho to bring in the big conventions and exhibitions. He further informed that a heritage tourism circuit is being planned in Madhya Pradesh as part of the Swadesh Darshan initiative of the Government of India. As for coastal tourism, Zutshi opined that tourism products related to water have not been tapped to their full potential at all. He said, “We have already started working on this. Funds of `500 crore have been allotted to five states to develop infrastructure like boat jetties and houseboats.” Adding to this, Tanvi Sundriyal, assistant managing director, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) said, “We have already constructed boat jetties at 13 locations in the state and are issuing licences to houseboats to operate in these locations.”