Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], June 24 : The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) organised "Madhya Pradesh Tourism Sustainability Summit 2025: Enhancing Sustainable & Rural Tourism in MP" under the aegis of its State Development Council and Madhya Pradesh State Chapter in Bhopal on Tuesday.
The initiative will strengthen the position of Madhya Pradesh as "Sustainable Tourism Destination" besides fostering cooperation at national, bilateral, regional & sub-regional, multilateral and international levels.
With the spirit of collaboration, the Summit brought together various important stakeholders from the government, industry, diplomatic fraternity, international agencies, practitioners and media at one platform to ideate and make a forward-looking action plan for "tourism sustainability" in Madhya Pradesh, giving a much needed space to rural tourism to flourish at the heart of Central India (MP).
Madhya Pradesh Minister Vishvas Sarang also participated and addressed the summit as chief guest and keynote speaker.
Speaking about the summit, Secretary at PHDCCI, Atul K Thakur told ANI, "Madhya Pradesh Tourism Sustainability Summit is the initiative of Madhya Pradesh State Chapter of PHDCCI which is being held to promote rural tourism and sustainable tourism in the state. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and PHDCCI, which is the oldest industry association in the country, have been working continuously in this direction. Today, discussions were held to boost tourism in rural areas of Madhya Pradesh, bringing together all the stakeholders and to work in that direction."
Renowned experts across the country from both government and industry sectors along with the state minister also participated in the summit. It will promote tourism as well as its multiplied effects will benefit other sectors as well.
"Agriculture, food processing sector or even medical tourism, film tourism, wildlife tourism tourism etc, Madhya Pradesh has been doing very well for many decades in Tourism. So we are trying to establish Madhya Pradesh, which has been a focal point of tourism, in a better way. The successful summit was held and around 150 people participated in the program," he added.
Meanwhile, MP Minister Vishvas Sarang said, "PHDCCI organised a summit on Sustainable tourism in the state and discussions were held on the occasion. Madhya Pradesh is a very organised destination for tourism. From spiritual tourism to forest tourism and ancient traditions tourism which is connected to the rural environment, a lot of work can be done on this. Today, people from different areas associated with tourism came and ensured that in the coming times we will make Madhya Pradesh the number one state in the country in terms of tourism."
The MP government is doing a lot of work regarding home stay. Right now, homestay facilities have started in about hundreds of villages in the state and efforts will be made to increase it further. People will get acquainted with the rural tradition and culture. The state government's intention is to boost rural tourism, the minister added.