Rooms inventory to double in next five years
Sudipta Dev – Mumbai
The Government of Madhya Pradesh had recently launched its new tourism policy, which it claims to be the most ‘progressive’ one in the country. The tourism policy includes land banks that are ready to be offered to private investors, including hoteliers. The tourism department has land banks in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Indore, Khajuraho and other places, which have been earmarked for hotels, resorts golf course, water sports, adventure tourism related activities and convention centres.
In the recently head Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, chief minister of Madhya Pradesh had remarked that while a lot has happened in the state in terms of improving the infrastructure, what is lacking is developing the hospitality sector. “Our tourism policy is a forward thinking policy. We want to invite people to establish hotels and resorts here,” he said, stressing on the need for creation of better facilities for the projected tourism growth. Presently there are 7500 rooms in the state in different categories adding up to 15,000 beds. The plan is to double the number in the next five years. The next five years will also see the implementation of other tourism projects as per the vision strategy.
The upcoming projects include a hotel in Dewas, another in Maheshwar, four hotels in Indore, and a Radisson property in Jabalpur. “There are important projects near Sanchi, with 60 hectares of land for a golf course, a five star hotel in Indore, and at Indira Sagar Dam. This apart, Madhya Pradesh Tourism has 60 properties with an inventory of 900 rooms, we have added 120 more rooms in the last six months,” said Rajesh Gupta, director, Tourism Promotion Unit, MP Tourism.
MICE tourism, has been identified as a key area. There are plans for two large convention centres, in Bhopal and Indore, while two mid sized ones are planned for in Jabalpur and Gwalior. “In December 2015, the convention centre and hotel will get completed in Indore,” informed Gupta.
There are also plans for rural tourism with a farm tourism project coming up 50 km from Bhopal.
