Tourism focus for Vibrant Gujarat '05

Global Investor Summit kicks off today

Despite failing to attract any significant investments in the tourism sector at 'Vibrant Gujarat: Navratri 2004', the state government is optimistic of a good showing in this year's event.

The government document for seeking investments in the 'Vibrant Gujarat, Global Investors Summit - 2005' lists all the tourism-related projects that were part of last year's summit.

The state government has spent crores of rupees on the second Global Investors' Summit that kicks off tomorrow. Chief minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet members have been touring different parts of the world to sell the Summit.

"This year also we are promoting Gujarat as a major tourism destination to non-residents Indians, non-residents Gujaratis and to domestic and international tourists. The state has tremendous tourism potential. Our focus is to bring Gujarat in the international tourism map of the world. We are receiving expressions of interest from private parties in all sectors and the response is encouraging. However, we cannot give any concrete figures on the investments," Anil Patel, minister of state for tourism, said.

During last year's 'Vibrant Gujarat : Navratri 2004' meet, the state government had invited investment for 26 projects.

However, investors showed interest in only a few of these. Around 10 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed but only two actually materalised. The two projects are the Rs 260 crore Nal Sarovar Eco Tourism Project and the Rs 260 crore Special Entertainment Zone at Surat.

The Nal Sarovar Eco Tourism Project was bagged by an NRI while the project for developing the special entertainment zone at Surat was secured by the Delhi-based Bharat Hotels. The work on both the projects has commenced and is expected to be complete in two years.

This year, investments worth $137 million are being attracted to 36 projects in the tourism sector. The 12 new projects added include reintroduction of the 'Royal Orient Train', a film city at Kutch, upgradation and operation of Tourism Corporation of Gujarat properties at Nalsarovar, Patan, Dholavira, Shamlaji, Valthan, and Malwan.