CHENNAI: Dr T Ilayaraja of the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation said that the State is set to introduce cruise tourism along the Narmada River, connecting the Statue of Oneness in Madhya Pradesh to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat in a year or two.
Speaking at the Summit, Dr Ilayaraja said the State faces plenty of problems when it comes to tourism branding, given its vast offerings in heritage, wildlife, nature and tribal culture.
He noted that foreigners who visit India continue to follow the traditional Golden Triangle route of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, though there has been some spillover to destinations such as Khajuraho and the tiger reserves of Madhya Pradesh.
Highlighting the State’s geographical advantage, he said Madhya Pradesh is centrally located and has dense forests and a rich cultural legacy.
The State, he added, may have one of the highest numbers of UNESCO-recognised sites in the country, with three on the permanent list and 15 on the tentative list.
Dr Ilayaraja also pointed to a surge in domestic tourism driven by spiritual travel. “Out of 133 million tourists visiting Madhya Pradesh, 70 million are coming for spiritual tourism,” he said.
The official said that the State is home to two Jyotirlingas—Mahakal in Ujjain and Omkareshwar—as well as prominent Shakti Peeths at Datia, Maihar, Harsiddhi and Salkanpur.
He said Chitrakoot, believed to be the abode of Lord Rama, holds special significance as it is believed to be the place where Lord Rama spent more than 11 years of his exile.
"Ujjain is also associated with Lord Krishna, who is believed to have attended his early education at an ashram there. To solve the issue of interconnectivity, three new airports were introduced last year making total number of airports in the State to eight. Inter-state helicopter and charter facilities have also been introduced by the state," he said.