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M.P. shortlists forts and palaces for heritage hotels

Bhopal: With a view to promote heritage tourism in Madhya Pradesh, the State Tourism Department has shortlisted 100 old forts and palaces for converting them into heritage hotels. “Out of 600 forts and old palaces surveyed by the department, 100 have been shortlisted for setting up heritage hotels in the state through private participation,” Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (MPTDC) Managing Director (MD) Ashwini Lohani said.

“The department will act as a facilitator between the erstwhile Maharajas and Rajas, who owns these palatial properties and private investors interested in converting these places into heritage hotels,” he said.

A conference will be held in New Delhi soon in this regard in which both the owners and the investors will interact to finalise the proposals. Madhya Pradesh is fast emerging as a major tourist destination, Mr. Lohani said, adding the state has witnessed a growth of 70 per cent in 2006 as compared to 2005 in the tourism sector in terms of tourists visiting the state.

The image of Madhya Pradesh is fast changing and the state is growing at a very fast pace in the sector. “Even the corporation which was in loss till three years back has earned a profit of nearly Rs.5 crore in the financial year 2006-07,” the MD said.

Referring to the novel initiatives taken by the corporation, Mr. Lohani said besides setting up rail restaurant in Bhopal, the corporation now has invited ‘kulis’ (porters) for a conference on November 19 for inviting their suggestions and guiding them for promoting tourism in the state.

The idea behind inviting porters is to inform them about potential of tourism in the state as they are the first persons who interact with tourists soon after they get down from trains.

The corporation has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to promote tourism in the state and because of its constant endeavours it has turned its entire commercial units including hotels and joints (nearly 52-53) into profit making units in the state.- PTI

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M.P. shortlists forts and palaces for heritage hotels

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