Hefty amount given to states to promote tourism last year: Mahesh Sharma

Last year the ministry of Tourism allocated Rs 84495.62 Lakhs to the States/UTs for Developing Tourism destinations and Circuits. This also included Projects relating to Product/Infrastructure Development for Destinations and Circuits (PIDDC), Human Resource Development (HRD), fairs and festivals and rural tourism, informed Tourism minister Mahesh Sharma in Lok Sabha on Monday.

Apart from this, the ministry has also taken “the initiative of identifying, diversifying, developing and promoting niche products of the tourism industry. This is done in order to overcome the aspect of ‘seasonality’, and to promote India as a 365 days destination, attract tourists with specific interests, and to ensure regular visits for the unique products in which India has comparative advantage. 

Accordingly, the niche tourism products like cruise tourism, medical tourism, adventure tourism, eco-tourism etc. are promoted by MOT. <g data-gr-id="22">Coastal</g> circuit is one of the 12 circuits identified under Swadesh Darshan”, said the minister.

“Adventure tourism is one of the emerging segments of travel in India. To promote adventure tourism, the ministry of tourism has issued guidelines for approval of adventure tour operators and formulated guidelines on safety and quality norms on adventure tourism,” he added. The ministry of tourism has been promoting eco-tourism, inter-alia by supporting seminars and events focusing on <g data-gr-id="26">development</g> of eco-tourism, from time to time. Comprehensive Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI) have been formulated and adopted for three major segments of the tourism industry, namely accommodation sector, tour operators’ sector, beaches, backwaters, lakes and rivers. 

Central Financial Assistance (CFA) for tourism projects with eco-tourism components are also sanctioned for various States/UTs, said the minister.