Bhopal: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday congratulated all the officers and employees of the Tourism Department for Ladpura Khas village of Orchha getting nominated for the 'Best Tourism Village' category in the UN World Tourism Organisation Award, as per information from the state government. The CM said, "It is a matter of pride for Madhya Pradesh. Our state is rich in unique architectural wealth along with unspoiled natural beauty. Now, tourism has emerged as a focal point of not only entertainment but also employment, local culture, food, art and architecture."
Sharing information on the nomination, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture Sheo Shekhar Shukla said the Union Ministry of Tourism nominated Ladpurakhas village of Orchha for the Best Tourism Village. Along with this, two other villages were nominated from Meghalaya and Telangana.
The PS said, "The "Rural Tourism" project has been started with the objective of giving shape to the concept of rural tourism by adding new dimensions in the field of tourism. In the next five years, 100 villages will be developed from the point of view of rural tourism."
Among these, he added, suitable sites would be selected and developed in Orchha, Khajuraho, Mandu, Sanchi, Pachmarhi, Tamia, Panna National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Sanjay Dubri National Park, Pench and Kanha National Park, Mitawali, Padawali etc.
Sheo Shekhar Shukla said under the Rural Tourism Project, work was going on six main components, including regional tourism based activities, convenient accommodation/home stays for tourists to stay, traditional and local cuisine, cultural experiences, art and handicraft and skill upgrading of youth.
He said the local community would directly benefit from the development of tourism in their area. The Tourism Board is also providing training to develop tourism products with the participation of the community.
The PS said, "Rural Tourism provides an opportunity to the local people to learn about the interest and needs of tourists while maintaining the importance of local culture and tradition. Through rural tourism, tourists can also become familiar with residences and arrangements of local cultural specialties, types and processes of local food, dress, dialect, customs, traditions, local means of transport, jewellery, romantic songs, music, musical instruments, dance, painting, methods of preservation of food grains and food, local sports, sociality and ways of providing hospitality to guests etc."
