Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) has said the number of tourists travelling to Gujarat is expected to grow 20 per cent during 2013-14.

“We have seen 13.6 per cent growth in the number of tourists visiting Gujarat last year — that is around 2.5 crore. We are optimistically targeting the growth to be 20 per cent in 2013-14,” TCGL Managing Director Sanjay Kaul told reporters on the side lines of an event here.

Aiming for investment into the tourism sector, TCGL has identified 39 locations in the State and has called for bids from large operators to put up their projects.

“We have identified 39 locations in the state that include beaches and ecotourism projects. We have called for bids from large operators, many of them are interested to put up star hotels and resorts. Basically it is under process,” Kaul said.

Stating that things have started taking shape in the tourism sector of the State, which includes development of basic infrastructure, he said only in the past three to four years Gujarat tourism had come into recognition.

Investors would only put in money when they felt there was something workable, he pointed out.

“We have managed to make twenty thousand rooms in the last three years,” he added.

TCGL said the State had grown as a major tourist destination to travellers from the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, specifically from Bangalore.

According to TGCL, out of the Rs 385-crore budget allocated for the year, Rs 200 crore had been set aside for infrastructure development and approximately Rs 120 crore for costal tourism development.

“There is also Government of India funds, as and when they come in.

“Along with this we also have temple development related funds getting allocated to the corporation,” he added.

Kaul said the third phase of ‘Khushboo Gujrat ki’ campaign with Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador was expected to start in September.

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