Inside Madhya Pradesh’s Tourism Overhaul

Madhya Pradesh recorded an over 50% surge in tourism final yr, in comparison with pre-pandemic ranges. The state welcomed 134 million vacationers in 2024, up from 89 million in 2019, in accordance with the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.

Sheo Shekhar Shukla, managing director at Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, in a dialog with Skift attributed this progress to the state’s shift away from conventional, site-centric tourism towards a extra diversified, experience-driven technique.

Diversifying Past Landmark Locations: Shukla stated customer curiosity is increasing past marquee locations like Khajuraho and Orchha to rising hotspots corresponding to Kanha, Pench, and Bandhavgarh, the place resort chain The Leela is growing a brand new luxurious property close to Bandhavgarh Nationwide Park.

Over the previous few years, Madhya Pradesh has launched initiatives together with luxurious tent cities, eco-safaris, river cruises, journey tourism, movie tourism, and rural homestays to broaden its attraction.

Movie Tourism, Various Initiatives Drive Footfall: The state’s Movie Tourism Coverage, which presents subsidies of as much as INR 100 million ($1.2 million) for worldwide productions, has positioned Madhya Pradesh as a filming hotspot, he stated.

Latest Indian productions like Panchayat, Gullak, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Laapataa Women, and Homebound have been filmed throughout the state. In line with Shukla, places featured in main productions noticed a 30–35% rise in vacationer footfall throughout peak seasons after their launch.

This technique mirrors world examples the place film-driven tourism boosted arrivals – corresponding to Ladakh after 3 Idiots and Spain after Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Equally, Ramoji Movie Metropolis in Hyderabad attracts 1.5 million guests yearly, mixing manufacturing and tourism.

To faucet into demand for genuine experiences, Madhya Pradesh has ramped up its rural tourism push. Final month, the state launched 241 homestays throughout 37 districts, with a goal of building 1,000 homestays statewide to draw vacationers past city facilities.

Connectivity Nonetheless a Problem: Regardless of its progress, the state faces hurdles round infrastructure and accessibility. To handle this, Madhya Pradesh has launched PM Shri Vayu Paryatan Sewa, India’s first intra-state air service, connecting cities together with Bhopal, Khajuraho, Rewa, Singrauli, and Ujjain.

The state can be investing in cruise tourism, with plans for a 120-km Narmada river cruise and terminals at Omkareshwar, Gwalior, and Vidisha, developed below public-private partnerships.

Goibibo Launches AI-Powered Video Marketing campaign

On-line journey platform Goibibo has launched an AI-powered video marketing campaign in partnership with video platform TrueFan AI. Beneath the partnership, the corporate is delivering hyper-personalized video messages that includes the corporate’s model ambassador Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant. 

Goibibo hopes to extend buyer engagement by way of this initiative by concentrating on customers who seek for journeys however go away with out reserving. “These vacationers obtain a immediate that includes Rishabh Pant in a customized, AI-generated video that addresses them by title and references their searched vacation spot or mode of transport,” the corporate stated in a press release. 

“Our objective is to construct a extra real and private relationship between the model and every person by way of direct and individualized interactions. We’ve seen that video campaigns are likely to drive increased click-through charges than text-based ones,” stated Raj Rishi Singh, chief advertising and marketing officer at Goibibo. 

This can be a rising development amongst Indian on-line journey companies. Final month, Agoda launched an AI trip planner that includes Bollywood actor and Agoda model ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. Within the movies, Khurrana addresses vacationers by their first title utilizing AI after which proceeds to share journey points of interest suited to them based mostly on their private wants in a bid to construct emotional join.

Indian Railways Rolls Out Superapp for All Passenger Companies

Indian Railways Tuesday launched its superapp RailOne to supply all passenger providers on one platform. The app has been designed to put off the necessity for a number of apps utilized by passengers for various providers. 

RailOne will enable vacationers to ebook tickets, get PNR standing updates, monitor practice coach positions, submit grievances, and order meals. The app can even enable entry to R-Pockets – the digital pockets for Indian Railways – and passengers will have the ability to add funds to the pockets for any transactions.

IHG Indicators Vacation Inn Resort in Bengaluru

IHG Lodges and Resorts has signed an settlement for growth of a Vacation Inn-branded resort in Bengaluru Digital Metropolis. The 200-key property is anticipated to open within the first quarter of 2029. 

“Bengaluru stays a key marketplace for IHG,” stated Sudeep Jain, managing director for South West Asia at IHG. He stated that the town’s prominence as a world know-how and enterprise hub, and its standing as one in every of India’s fastest-growing metropolitan cities makes it a vital market. 

IHG presently has 48 operational resorts within the nation, and has 63 extra within the pipeline which might be slated to open within the subsequent 3-5 years.

650 Million Vacationers Visited Uttar Pradesh in Fiscal Yr 2025

The northern state of Uttar Pradesh was visited by 650 million vacationers within the 2025 fiscal yr. Whereas home vacationers from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh led the cost, the state additionally obtained worldwide guests from Thailand, South Korea, and Myanmar. 

The state has been witnessing a tourism surge. Within the 2024 calendar yr, the state had obtained a report vacationer footfall of 649 million, up over 170 million from 2023. Over 2.3 million worldwide vacationers visited the state in 2024, a rise of 25% year-on-year.

In line with the state authorities, a vacationer staying in Uttar Pradesh for one night time is presently spending INR 5,400 ($63) on a mean, whereas a long-term traveler is spending round INR 7,500 ($88). Resort stays accounted for over 40% of vacationer lodging within the state, and inter-district journey throughout the state contributed to 80% of all tourism exercise. 

State officers expect this quantity to probably double within the present monetary yr. To assist this, the state has added 100,000 new resort rooms.

Radisson Opens Radisson People Resort in Kevadia, Gujarat

Radisson Resort Group has opened D Sq. Statue of Unity Kevadia, a member of Radisson People in Gujarat. The 91-key property is positioned close to the well-known Statue of Unity within the state.

“With this property, we additional strengthen our footprint in Gujarat – one in every of India’s fastest-growing tourism corridors,” stated Nikhil Sharma, managing director and COO for South Asia at Radisson Resort Group. “The area has seen outstanding growth lately, together with improved connectivity, new airports and government-led initiatives to advertise cultural, religious and ecological tourism,” he added. 

Radisson’s portfolio in India has expanded to 200 operational and growing properties. In an interview with Skift earlier this yr, Sharma stated that Indians relate to Radisson as an Indian model. “As a world model, we’re very native and nationalistic in our method. We proceed to develop as a result of greater than 50% of our portfolio is in smaller cities.” 

Over the following 5-7 years, he believes that Radisson might simply attain 500 working resorts. “If we wish India to develop, the expansion needs to be past the highest 10 cities. That’s the place now we have been centered,” he stated.