Gujarat and Rajasthan to jointly attract foreign tourists

Gujarat and Rajasthan have decided to jointly attract tourists from Europe and the US to western India, a Memoranda of Understanding for which is expected to be signed soon. This was announced by Mr. Vipul Mittra, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Gujarat, while addressing media persons at FICCI’s Great Indian Travel Bazaar 2011 here today.

Mr. Mittra said that this was decided today when he met his counterpart, Ms. Usha Sharma, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Government of Rajasthan.

He said that the Gujarat Tourism Department is also in talks with the Maharashtra Government for the joint western India tourism promotion strategy.

He said it has also been decided to promote film tourism in the State in a big way. The tourism department is talking to Bollywood producers to take advantage of Gujarat’s conducive environment for film shooting by way of hospitable and cultured people and law and order in the State. He identified Kutch and Mandvi as ideal locations for film makers. This would go a long way in promoting tourism amongst international audiences, he pointed out.

He said an MoU had been signed with a group in Surat and 400 acres of land had been acquired to establish a film city that would larger and better than Ramoji Rao Film City in Hyderabad.

Mr. Mittra observed that the State Government was looking for private sector participation in building large tourism-related infrastructure projects. The recently-concluded ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ convention, he said, had seen a huge expression of interest amongst investors. About Rs 75,000 crore of investment had already been promised and all projects are in the pipeline.

Earlier, Mr. Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd., gave a snapshot of the myriad tourism products that the State has to offer to a foreign visitor.