The news that more foreign tourists visited Bihar in 2008 than ever before has pleasantly surprised me. As per the article dated 2nd Sept 2009, appearing in Times of India , 3,45,572 foreign tourists visited Bihar in 2008. In 2005 the number of foreign tourists visiting India was 63,321. This is over 5 times increase in foreigners visiting Bihar and this is a very good sign specially as this number was next only to Goa's.
Dy. Chief Minister Sushil Modi has attributed this to better law and order situation, improvement in tourists’ facilities and positive changes in the state. I will tend to agree with his statement.
The dramatic increase in foreign tourists illustrates how a positive change in basic infrastructure and security can have an all round impact on the state. Bihar has a lot of opportunities to build global tourism destinations . Many of the tourist locations like Nalanda, Rajgir, Kesariya Stupa, Gaya, Tutla falls, etc can easily be developed into international tourism destinations of repute. I am sure the government has this in mind and will develop more and better infrastructure that will attract big revenues from tourists internationally and domestically that will in turn aid in the faster development of Bihar. If some people in the government have not realized this, I am sure they will, after hearing or reading this article in Times of India.
The detailed article can be found in Times of India : Over 3.4 lakh foreigners visited state in 2008
Progressive Bihar - Finally the sleeping giant is waking up
Progressive Bihar - Come support it's growth path.
Prashant ji,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sending quality and concerning informative mail to group.
Tourism is a sector where we not only earning money but show cashing the state. In my opinion we need to make some kind of database apart from whatever govt is doing. Even members are not much aware about the hidden tourist place of Bihar as much as they are aware about tourist places of other state. We need to encourage domestic tourism as well. We are focusing only Buddhist circuit when it comes to religious tourism, through Bihar has enough to attract Hindu's from all over India as story of Ramayan has great linkages with Sitamadhi (birth place of Sita) and a separate circuit can be developed between Sitamadhi - Janakpur etc.
Another area is related Gandhi ji. Have anyone seen the poor state of Gandhi Museum in Motihari. Last time I visited there and person over their really surprised. Their is fair chance of success of a research school on Gandhian thoughts in Motihari to attract foreign students.
Current govt is doing well, however Nitish ji need to see the interest and profile of their ministers/secratory etc before allocation of Toursim. This sector require more interest and knowledge of current international tourism industry. This sector has very high potential to create jobs among graduates.
Best regards,
Ranjeet Kumar
Steering Committee
Biharbrains Development Society
Ranjeetji,
ReplyDeleteYou are right. There are many more places that can be converted into tourism attraction easily and Bihar can earn much more revenues from tourism than it currently does.
I happened to visit Hearst Castle in USA in early 2000s. I was surprised by the amount of revenues this tourist attraction far away in wilderness was attracting, just based on the positioning the marketing team has achieve for Hearst Castle. If one look at Hearst castle and more so from within, one will realize that Bihar's historical and cultural heritages have much more to offer than a Hearst Castle. And still we are not attracting many tourists (domestic and international, that can be attracted to Bihar.
Regards
Prashant
There should be more development of tourist facilities like Restaurants , hotels and shoping malls and cinemas , night life entertainment facilities in bihar aorund the Buddhist Circuit areas.
ReplyDeleteAlso Luxury bus facilities like Volvo and A/C bus coaches should be available on buddhist and Hindu religious places.
Like Goa , there should be more entertainment facilties in Big Cities like Patna , Jamshedpur like Malls, Casinos, Night life etc.
So that more foreign tourists can enjoy other than religious tourism too
Development should be in spirituality or Casino?
ReplyDeletePeople will do Pitri Daan and will enter into a Bar and Casino.
In Big, Cities Basic amenities to be provided.
Near to Good Hotels Roads are Jam due to huge number of Rickshaw and Thelas.
City should be clean.
We need basic amenities first and foremost. Other things can wait.
ReplyDeleteRoti, Kapda aur Makaan still remains a challenge for most of rural folks in Bihar and that has to be addressed.
Rural migration to City will stop only when we pay more attention to what people need in Villages. Unless that happens, we will end up
making our so called cities, nothing but urbanized slum.
Regards, Saroj
It is high time to build up a growing Bihar. Let's forget other things and government should laid down the basic infrastrutural skeleton i. e a good road network , adequate electricity supply and security, which will attaract small scale industries. Once we have business on move rest wil follow by default.
ReplyDeleteP Mishra
Thank you all for your comments I just going through some tourism events in Bihar and got this Blog.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to got this news that tourist arrival has increased atleast 5 times in Bihar as compared to last census.I am a travel professional and use to read and something about tourism in Bihar and India.
I am suprised when we can get this kind of tourist volume only after inproving the law and order situation in the state then why not we can get many more times tourist arrival in our state if we market our touristic places in better way, provide them some basic facilities, Like good road,food ,accomodation and transport facility. I had also heard that Bihar govt is in process of tourist police don't have much if this is already actioned or not but if this is worked out sure we can make big revenue through this industry.
And yes I am agree that we have many touristic places in Bihar but we event don't know about them ....we know Shimla/Manali but don't know the places like Neterhat (Now in Jharkhand),Rajgir ,Nalanda and Kakolat and Pawaputi. We have many touristic places i.e Bodhgaya,Vaishali,sitamarhi,Biharsharif,Balmiki national park and Patna itself and many more.
We need to make a proper plan and market all the touristic places is better way, provide the touristic services then I am sure when able to get more tourist than any other parts in India.
Thank you.
Mukesh
NAMASKAR, my big brothers
ReplyDeleteI m Ranjeet Kumar from nalanda, doing MBA in travel and tourism from indian institute of tourism and travel management, gwalior.I m very happy to read ur comments on bihar tourism. but do u , in spite of these things there should be a good tourism institute in bihar by which new human resourse can be devloped in bihar tourism.
all of my friends want to make their carrier in other part of the country but I would like to work for my own state.
thanks.... from- touristy.ranjeet@gmail.com
Yes there has been DTTM(03 Yrs Degree in Tourism and Travel Management) course running in Nalanda college,Biharsharif since session 1996-1999.
ReplyDeletethis course under Magadh University and sponsored by UGC New Delhi.
Thank you.
really i was last 4 year out of bihar but when i reach at my home towen patna every time some changes take place and i m proud to be bihari , and our chief minster really do it , it show our groth rate is too high ...............
ReplyDeleteCheap airfare offers on the web that area unit ludicrously low cost shouldn't be taken seriously. ne'er offer out your mastercard info to any low cost fare supplier unless you're certain that they're actually connected with the airline they claim that they represent.
ReplyDelete