Newstrack

MOT's new mantra for tourism development: Convergence of resources

Jyoti Koul - New Delhi

Realising the difficulty in developing tourism products in isolation, the government is now focusing on converging resources from different departments/ministries.

The government is also asking the state governments to pitch in and submit their integrated proposals. Besides various state governments, MoT has asked the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to make an integrated plan for the development of products, destinations and circuits included. In addition to tourism infrastructure for which MOT will provide resources, the state governments have been asked to look into converging the resource base at state levels.

In an exclusive with Express TravelWorld, secretary tourism, government of India, A K Misra, revealed, "It is not only the money from the ministry of tourism which can bring about a change. There has to be road, rail and air connectivity to a particular destination, urban development authority, municipal governance, water supply, power/electricity supply, etc are some of the aspects required for a complete destination development plan."

He added that in case there is an eco-tourism zone, then the environment department has to spring into action. MoT has already made such a plan for Agra. Integrated development projects for Bodhgaya and Hampi have been prepared and partly implemented. "As far as the convergence of resources is concerned, we are now working on Benaras. In 2007, we are planning to take up well-known places like Jaganath Puri, Bhubneswar, Chilka, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dwarka." Misra added.

Subhash Goyal, president of IATO, feels that the initiative by the ministry of tourism to involve various agencies outside tourism to integrate and mobilise resources is a step in the right direction.