Seven companies, including, SBI Foundation, Yatra Online Pvt. Ltd, were short-listed for ‘Letters of Intent’ (LoI) by the Ministry of Tourism on October 25 for 14 monuments under ‘Adopt a Heritage’ Scheme.
The short-listed companies were given ‘Letters of Intent’ on the last day of ‘Paryatan Parv’ (Tourism Festival), an official release said here on Wednesday.
The 14 monuments up for adoption include Jantar Mantar and Qutub Minar (Delhi), Sun Temple (Odisha), Hampi (Karnataka), Ajanta Caves (Maharashtra), among others.
The short-listed companies, to be called Monument Mitras, are from various sectors such as hospitality, travel, and banking.
The Inter-Ministerial Oversight and Vision Committee members received respones from reputed organisations in the initial phase, wherein 57 responses have been recorded and 14 monuments have been opted through seven expression of interest, said the release.
The firmsSBI Foundation, TK International Limited, Yatra Online Pvt. Ltd, Travel Corporation of India Ltd, Adventure Tour Operator Association of India, Special Holidays Travel Private Ltd. (With) Rotary Club of Delhi, NBCC are the seven companies which were shortlisted after going through detailed scrutiny. ‘Adopt a Heritage’ Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), was launched by President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of World Tourism Day.
After its launch, the Tourism Ministry invited private and public sector companies and corporate individuals to adopt the sites and to take responsibility for making heritage tourism more sustainable through conservation and development.