Contrary to popular belief that tourism had been affected by insurgency problem in Chhattisgarh, as many as 7777 foreign tourists visited Chhattisgarh during financial year 2014-15, as per latest data released by the Central Government. The number of foreign tourist visits were 4172 in 2012 and 3886 in 2013.
The Union Ministry of Tourism compiles the data of foreign exchange earned through foreign tourists. The Ministry does not compile the data of earnings through domestic tourists. The Foreign Exchange Earnings (provisional) through Tourism in India during 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were Rs 94,487 crore, Rs 1,07,671 crore, Rs 1,23,320 crore, and Rs 1,35,193 crore, respectively.
Chhattisgarh Tourism Board (CTB) will seek professional consultancy for executing its ongoing and new infrastructural works relating to tourism infrastructure development.
The work would also involve landscaping work, interior architectural work, renovation/repairing works etc.
The Architectural companies, partnership firms or proprietorship firms selected would be assigned various tasks relating to Project Management Consultancy works as and when required which mainly includes but not limited to technical support, supervision, monitoring, quality control, timely execution of work, officials stated.
The selected firms will also take up study of existing/new sites/properties, drawing up of site and existing layout plan and do contour survey which will be the part of Concept plan among other work assigned to them.
A new state-of-art building for CTB have been proposed to be constructed at the premises of State-owned Hotel Johar Chhattisgarh near GE Road in Telibandha locality of Raipur.
Along with the CTB’s building, a state-of-art Convention Center would also be constructed in the premises, officials stated.
Notably, the Central Government has recently approved Rs 99.94 crore based on a Detailed Project Report (DPR) submitted by CTB for development of the Tribal Tourism Circuit in the State under ‘Swadesh Darshan’ package.
The approval was given in a Secretary-level meeting held in New Delhi recently, officials stated. The objective of forming the tourism circuit is to highlight rich and ancient tribal culture and environment of Chhattisgarh’s tribal dominated regions.
Under this tribal tourism circuit, Jashpur, Kunkuri, Mainpat, Ambikapur, Maheshpur, Ratanpur, Kurdur, Sarodhadadar, Gangrel, Nathiyanawagaon (Kanker), Kondagaon, Jagdalpur, Chitrakoot, Teerathgarh will be developed for tourism.
In this circuit, Jashpur, Ambikapur and Sarodhadadar would be developed as ethnic tourist village and Mainpat, Kurdur, Gangrel, Kondagaon, Jagdalpur, Chitrakoot and Teerathgarh are to be developed for eco-ethnic tourism while work for sight amenities will be carried out in Kunkuri, Maheshpur and Nathiyanawagaon.
The Union Ministry of Tourism will soon be allocating funds for the circuit and work in this regard would be carried out in a sequential manner.
Notably, in August last year, the Central government had granted 'in-principle' approval for including Chhattisgarh in the ‘Tribal Tourism Circuit’ under its ‘Swadesh Darshan’ package, officials stated.