Monday 26 May 2014

MTDC plans homestays in remote tourist spots

The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has plans to introduce 'homestays' in the remotest of tourist spots in the state.

Over 50 spots with tourist attractions in forest or tribal locations will be covered in the first phase. The premise being that such spots have umpteen tourist attractions, but no hotels or guest-houses, which keeps them off the tourism radar.

An MTDC official said the concept of home-stays is different from its 'bed and breakfast scheme', that is now available in tourists locations across the state.

"The bed and breakfast scheme is designed to increase the availability of accommodation to both domestic and foreign tourists. It provides them accommodation in bungalows, houses, flats of residents at such spots. But it is restricted to those accommodations that have a minimum of two rooms and four beds or maximum of five rooms and 10 beds. However, there are many remote villages in the state that are remarkable tourist spots and have no guest house or hotels, just humble two-room houses of residents. The homestay concept brings such houses into focus," the official said.

Light and Sound shows at three major hotspots in Odisha to draw tourists

Tourists hotspots like Khandagiri-Udaygiri, Dhauli and Konark are set to add another feather in their caps as the long-awaited light-and-sound shows will begin there soon.

"In the first phase, light-and-sound shows will start at Khandagiri-Udaygiri, Dhauli and Konark. We are hopeful of completing the projects by the year-end," said culture and tourism secretary Arvind Padhee.

Government sources said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has given its consent for the projects and the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) has been assigned the task of preparing a 30 minute-script for the show. Installation works will begin soon.

The shows will be in English, Hindi, Odia and Bengali. An estimated Rs 20 crore will be spent on the project, of which Rs 15 crore will be funded by ITDC and the rest by the tourism department.

Similarly at Dhauli and Sun Temple, Konark, stories on Kalinga war and legend of Dharmapada will be narrated. The theatres will seat 24 each and be set up at interception centres at Khandagiri and Puri along with eight other places in the state.

"Around Rs 1.33 crore will be spent to set up the virtual reality theatres and on their maintenance and supervision. These theatres will have customized 3D shows of 10-minute duration," an official source said. The Odisha Tourism Development Corporation will be the nodal agency to implement the projects.