Gujarat has allocated Rs 400 crore for tourism promotion in the State during the current fiscal. The amount includes Rs 120 crore as grant which has been approved by the Planning Commission for 2012-13.

According to Mr Sanjay Kaul, Commissioner and Managing Director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd, the funds would be utilised for developmental activities and to improve infrastructure in several key tourist locations.

“Over the last 3-4 years the State Government has laid stress on the services sector including tourism and IT. We roped in actor Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador to grow the tourism sector. This has yielded results and we have been witnessing steady rise in the number of tourist arrivals in the State,” Mr Kaul told newspersons at a road show organised to promote tourism in Gujarat on Saturday.

Gujarat witnessed 16 per cent growth in tourist arrivals in 2011-12 to 2.23 crore. The Tourism Corporation expects 25 per cent growth in tourist arrivals this year. Tourists from Bengal account for about eight per cent of the total number of tourists into Gujarat.

“Our Buddhist Circuit, which includes places like Junagadh and Siyot (Bhuj) have not been publicised too well till so far. We are now going to South East Asian countries to attract tourists from these countries,” he said.

This apart, Gujarat will also work on developing coastal tourism. “The Planning Commission has approved Rs 1,200 crore to promote coastal tourism in Gujarat. This fund will be utilised to develop 14 coastal districts in the State over the next five years,” he said.

>shobha.roy@thehindu.co.in

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