THE HEART OF INCREDIBLE INDIA, ONE OF THE SAFEST TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN INDIA

The eclectic state of Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India, has swiftly surfaced as one of the most sought-after destinations in India. MP offers a varied range of verticals that can quench the thirst of any traveller from wildlife to culture to heritage or be it pilgrimage. What makes Madhya Pradesh so unique is the fact that it is one of the biggest states in the country and still a major part of it is left undiscovered. The very fact that the majority of the state is covered in forests provides a ‘closer to nature experience’ for visitors and at the same time it opens the door for a question like, is it safe to travel in Madhya Pradesh?

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, under the Responsible Tourism Mission (RTM), has been aggressively working on the safety of tourists and especially solo women travellers. MP is a state that is dedicated to the involvement of women in the tourism industry be it from gypsy drivers and forest guides from Shivpuri, Pachmarhi and Tamia, boatmen and storytellers from Jabalpur and Gwalior, women safety guards from pilgrimage places like Ujjain, Chitrakoot or Maihar and Segway Drivers to Hospitality professionals in Khajuraho. The government of Madhya Pradesh works closely with several other departments like the Police, Women and Child Development, Urban Administration Department, Transport, Education and Skill Development to create a more accommodating atmosphere for the people of the state and the tourists visiting the state. MP Tourism conducts safety audits and infra gap assessments at every tourist destination with the coordination of local bodies and district authorities, which ensures the safety of women service providers and tourists.

The idea is to make safer tourist destinations for women where even a solo female traveller can feel at home. Tourism is one of the key drivers of socio-economic development and its integral for tourists to have a safe and secure environment. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has nominated several bodies to support the conduction of baseline surveys and situation analysis under the “Safe Tourism Destinations for Women” project which is a part of the Responsible Tourism Mission of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board. It includes the following activities –

• Capacity building, orientation and training and sensitisation

• Strengthening of safety mechanism

• Skill and Employment generation

• Safety audits and fulfilment of infrastructural gaps at tourism destinations about women’s safety

• Self-defence training

• Community participation and awareness

• Formation of legal bodies and federations

• Monitoring and evaluation

MP Tourism Board works in convergence with other departments, including NGOs and CSRs to ensure women’s safety and in fact, Madhya Pradesh is the pioneer state in India to take efforts for women’s safety and upliftment in the tourism industry. It also inspires local youth of the villages and suburbs to make a career in the hospitality industry and contribute to the development of their local region.

Enjoy your visit to Madhya Pradesh with a sense of freedom and security and embrace the state’s unique wildlife, heritage, pilgrimage and culture. Blend in with local cultures and rejoice in the uniqueness of the Heart of Incredible India.