CCIL To Invest Rs. 100 cr In Wildlife, Adventure Tourism

ET&T Staff - Mumbai

With the international tourist arrivals in India poised to grow in the coming years, the Rs 250 crore Country Club of India Limited (CCIL), a family chain of clubs, plans to invest Rs 100 crores in wildlife and adventure tourism in India to tap the growing market.

"On the global scenario, India is expected to receive nine million tourists in 2020. Country's earnings from tourism were US dollar 4.3 billion between January and November 2004, compared to USD 3.1 billion for the same period in the previous year," said CCIL Chairman Y Siddharth Reddy.

"International tourist arrivals grew by about 24 per cent and for the first time crossed the three million mark. As a result, the foreign earnings have also shot up by about 36.1 per cent in 2004. This shows the immense growth potential of this sector, which we want to avail," Reddy said.

The investments would be mainly towards acquiring properties to build the infrastructure. "We would take over existing properties to suit our requirements. The infrastructure would involve swimming pool, communication network, trekking facility, safaris amongst others," informed Reddy.

CCIL currently owns 20 properties and wants to extend to 100 in next two years. Of the remaining 80, 60 properties would be owned through franchising while the rest through mergers and acquisitions or new constructions.