Madhya Pradesh to host meet to promote heritage tourism

Dec 16, 2007, 8:13 GMT

Bhopal, Dec 16 (IANS) In a bid to promote heritage tourism, Madhya Pradesh is organising a meeting to bring together potential investors and heritage building owners.

The one-day, 'Heritage Meet' starts Monday in Bhopal.

'All the owners of palatial buildings and investors willing to run heritage hotels in the state have been invited to take part in the meet slated for Dec 17 in Bhopal', said state Tourism Minister Tukoji Rao Puar.

'The state's tourism department and Tourism Development Corporation would function as facilitators to provide a forum to willing investors and palatial building owners for man-to-man discussion,' he added.

'About 61 building owners and 50 investors are likely to take part in the meet,' the minister added.

'The attraction of tourists towards heritage buildings is increasing by the day. This has been proved in Rajasthan. So when they can do it, why can't we? We are richer as far as heritage is concerned', Puar said.

According to a detailed survey the government conducted recently of the entire heritage buildings of the state, there are 724 forts, palaces, fortresses and other heritage buildings available for heritage tourism in the state.

Of these, 35 buildings are under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India and 103 with the State Archaeology Department. Nearly 313 palatial houses are in the possession of the state government, but have not been declared as protected monuments. There are 275 palatial buildings in private hands.

'But we have not been able to tap their utility due to lack of initiative. But now steps are being taken by the present government in this direction,' the minister said.

Some of the prominent hotel groups expected to attend the meet include the Taj Group of Hotels, Kamad Group of Hotels, Park Group of Hotels, Select Hotels Group and Welcome Heritage Group of Hotels.

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service