Destination-oriented tourism parks are being planned across the country to attract more tourists and keep them at a destination for a longer period. As per a PTI report, the tourism parks will be developed on theme park model with all facilities including hotels, convention centres, shopping complex, food street and entertainment facilities required for tourists.

“We have tourist sites but we do not have anything to hold tourists at a particular site for two/three days. The question is how to hold tourists for a longer period,” said tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahai.

Noting that there is no interesting evening activity near tourist sites, Sahai said, “If you want to have a glimpse of India then you can’t. In Delhi there is a light and sound show at Red Fort. There is nothing except that”.

“So we want to create tourism parks to hold tourists for longer period. The parks have to be developed on a business model. It would be destination oriented tourism park, which will have a theme park, amusement park, convention centres, wellness centre, shopping complex etc. everything along with the destination.”

The tourism park is likely to be developed through public-private participation (PPP) mode with the land being provided by the state government or a private partner.

Sahai said the tourism industry has a high employment generating capacity. “According to the Planning Commission, if you spend Rs. 10 lakh on a site then you are creating job opportunities for 80 people directly or indirectly,” he said, adding, “If we can increase only 0.5% of inbound tourists then it would create three crore job opportunities.”

Tourism ministry is seeking an increase in fund allocation for the sector in 12th five-year plan. The fund allocation for the sector was Rs. 5,000 crore in the 11th plan. “We are seeking about Rs. 22,000-23,000 crore allocation from the Planning Commission in the 12th plan for developing 50 more tourist destinations on a mission mode like Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM) projects,” Sahai said.

Emphasising the state government’s role in promoting tourism, he said, “I am approaching every state to make tourism an economic and political agenda. States can adopt PPP mode to promote tourism and we are ready to provide infrastructure support.”

Tourism ministry also wants to introduce tourist trains in every state. “We want to introduce tourist trains in every state. We are trying to create new circuits like Buddhist circuit, Sufi circuit, Jain circuit, Sikh circuit, these are areas which can attract foreign as well as domestic tourists”.

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