Year 2025 Emerges as a Golden Chapter of Innovation, Record Investment and Tourism Expansion
In alignment with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi towards cultural resurgence across the country, and under the guidance of Hon’ble Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh has achieved significant milestones in tourism, culture and investment during the year 2025. Under the able leadership of Minister of State (Independent Charge), Tourism, Culture, Religious Trusts & Endowments Shri Dharmendra Bhav Singh Lodhi, and Shri Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture, Home, and Religious Trusts & Endowments, and Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, the year 2025 proved to be a defining phase of innovation, expansion and investment-led growth for Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.
With the objective of positioning Madhya Pradesh prominently on the national and global tourism map, innovative initiatives such as PM SHRI Tourism Air Service and PM SHRI Tourism Helicopter Service were launched in 2025, significantly strengthening connectivity to major tourist destinations across the state. These initiatives not only enhanced ease of travel for tourists but also generated new avenues for investment and employment.
Strengthening rural tourism, more than 400 homestays have been operationalised over the last two years, playing a vital role in empowering rural livelihoods. The state aims to develop 1,000 homestays in the coming period. Through platforms such as Regional Tourism Conclaves and the Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart, investment proposals worth nearly ₹10,000 crore were received, giving fresh momentum to private sector participation in tourism.
In the domain of religious and cultural tourism, substantial progress has been made towards developing Omkareshwar as ‘Advait Lok’. Following the installation of the 108-feet statue of Adi Shankaracharya, approval exceeding ₹2,424 crore has been granted for Phase-II of Advait Lok. As a result of these sustained efforts, Madhya Pradesh recorded the arrival of over 14 crore tourists in 2024, marking an approximate 25 percent growth in tourist footfall. In the direction of conservation and promotion of culture, a new chain of museums is being developed across the state. Construction of specialised museums is underway in cities including Ujjain, Bhopal, Gwalior, Sagar, Panna, Jabalpur and Maheshwar. Initiatives such as Shri Ramchandra Van Gaman Path and Shri Krishna Pathey have further provided a new direction to religious tourism.
In 2025, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department received several prestigious national and international awards. Concrete steps have also been taken to promote inclusive and safe tourism by training 50,000 women and girls. With the objective of increasing tourism’s contribution to the state GDP to 10 percent in the coming years, plans have been laid to develop 500 new hotels, 20,000 rooms and 500 wayside amenity centres. For Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, the year 2025 stood out as a landmark year of achievements, investments and innovations, further strengthening the state’s position among India’s leading tourism destinations.
Achievements of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board – Year 2025
New Tourism Policy – 2025 and New Film Tourism Policy – 2025
A new Tourism Policy 2025 has been formulated to promote tourism and attract investment in the sector, simplifying and enhancing transparency in investment-related provisions.
To promote film tourism and attract investment, a new Film Tourism Policy 2025 has been introduced, ensuring greater transparency in permissions and subsidies for film production, along with additional incentives for films based on local themes, culture and heritage of Madhya Pradesh.
Innovation in Air Tourism
PM SHRI Tourism Air Service
• Contract executed with M/s Jet Serve Aviation Pvt. Ltd. under Public Private Partnership (PPP).
• Air services commenced between eight major cities – Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Rewa, Singrauli, Khajuraho and Ujjain.
• Offers, schedules, fares and ticket booking available on www.flyola.in / https://www.air.irctc.co.in/.
PM SHRI Tourism Helicopter Service
• Operated on a PPP basis.
• Contract executed for three years – Sector-1 with M/s Trans Bharat Aviation, Sector-2 and Sector-3 with M/s Jet Serve Aviation Pvt. Ltd.
• Service launched on 01 November 2025.
• Helicopter operations across three sectors:
Sector-1: Indore, Ujjain, Omkareshwar
Sector-2: Bhopal, Madhai, Pachmarhi
Sector-3: Jabalpur, Maihar, Chitrakoot, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Amarkantak
World Heritage Expansion
In 2025, 15 additional sites from Madhya Pradesh were included in UNESCO’s Tentative List, reflecting the state’s cultural and natural diversity.
Of India’s total 69 UNESCO heritage sites, 18 heritage properties are located in Madhya Pradesh.
Sangeet Natak Akademi recognised Bhagoria tribal dance, Gond tribal painting (Patangarh) and Narmada Parikrama as ‘National Intangible Cultural Heritage’.
New proposals for Maihar Band, Agaria Loh, and tribal cuisines of Nimar region submitted to Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Infrastructure Development
• Work commenced to develop Kushabhau Convention Centre, Bhopal as an International Convention Centre (₹99.38 crore).
• Development works initiated at Phoolbagh (Gwalior), Chitrakoot Ghats, Pitambara Peeth Datia, Amarkantak and Durgadas Chhatri at a cost of ₹300 crore.
• Establishment of Craft Villages at Maheshwar and Kukshi initiated.
Events & Marketing
• Participation in tourism exhibitions across 10 cities at national level.
• National roadshows organised in Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Varanasi and Jaipur.
• Training programmes for travel agents and tour operators organised in Prayagraj and New Delhi.
• International participation in ATM Dubai, IFTM Top RESA Paris, Fukuyama (Japan), JATA Tokyo, ITB Asia Singapore, WTM London.
• Proposed participation in FITUR Madrid and ITB Berlin.
• Participation in Madhya Pradesh Mahotsav (Bengaluru), Surajkund Mela, Vikramotsav (New Delhi), Mahakumbh (Prayagraj) and Global Investors Summit (Bhopal).
Investment Promotion
• Allocation of 85 land parcels and 12 heritage properties – ₹1,323 crore investment across 511 hectares, generating employment for over 12 lakh people.
• Two ultra mega projects allocated with proposed investment of ₹385 crore.
• Allocation of 97 wayside amenity centres.
• During GIS 2025, investment intent proposals worth ₹64,635 crore received from 305 entities.
• RTC Rewa: ₹3,430 crore from 14 investors.
• RTC Gwalior: ₹3,500 crore from 19 investors.
• MPTM Bhopal: ₹3,665 crore from 21 investors.
• Capital subsidy of ₹24.58 crore approved for 19 tourism projects (764 rooms, ₹308 crore investment).
• Total 124 projects approved so far with ₹228.31 crore subsidy, 5,026 rooms and ₹1,788.66 crore investment.
Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart
• Organised in Bhopal with participation from stakeholders across India and representatives from 28 countries.
• Over 7,000 successful B2B meetings conducted.
• Investment proposals exceeding ₹3,665 crore.
• Earlier Regional Tourism Conclaves held in Rewa and Gwalior.
Simhastha – 2028
• Construction and expansion proposed for Samrat Vikramaditya Hotel, Ujjain.
• Capacity expansion of other MPSTDC hotels.
• Rural tourism projects in villages around Ujjain.
• Proposal to develop 18 tourism villages.
• 180 homestays proposed.
• ₹100 crore plan approved for Devi Ahilyabai Lok, Maheshwar.
• ₹200 crore proposed for Omkareshwar Parikrama Path and Mamleshwar Lok.
• Proposal for 500 tourist guides.
Skill Development Leadership
Rural Tourism
• 400+ homestays developed.
• 37,517 tourist arrivals, including 287 foreign tourists.
• Income exceeding ₹7.02 crore for rural communities.
• Under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, DPR for 14 tribal villages approved under DAJGUA.
Safe Tourism Destinations for Women
• Implemented at 50 tourism sites under Nirbhaya Fund.
• 30,089 women sensitised through 421 workshops.
• 37,599 girls trained in self-defence.
• 9,502 women trained in 48 tourism and hospitality skills.
• Handloom Café Pranpur and Hotel Amaltas Pachmarhi fully women-operated.
• 20 Tourist Facilitation Centres to be operated by women.
• MoU with Coca-Cola India for Gender Corridor in Ujjain for Simhastha 2028.
Project Clean Destination
• Implemented in Panna and Bandhavgarh with CSR support of Coca-Cola.
• Waste management in 53 villages.
• Door-to-door waste collection reaching 10,000 families.
• 40 tonnes of dry waste managed.
• 30 green jobs created.
• MRF Centre established in Panna; Bandhavgarh under process.
Responsible Souvenir Project
• Two centres operational at Madla (Panna) and Dhamna (Chhatarpur), 192 women artisans trained.
• 10 new centres under process across districts.
• Training and livelihood linkage proposed for 1,000 artisans.
Adventure Activities
• Major events: Gandhi Sagar, Kuno Forest Retreats, Chanderi Eco Retreat, Hanuwantiya Jal Mahotsav.
• Continuous sky-diving for four years.
• NATRAX Indore – TSD Car Rally and motorsports.
• Biking initiatives – “Riders in the Wild” and “Queens on the Wheel”.
• Marathons at Pench, Khajuraho, Pachmarhi, Jabalpur, Bhopal.
• New multi-day trekking trails with India Hikes.
• Rock climbing at Jatashankar, Pachmarhi.
• Bird tourism MoU with Ataavi Bird Foundation.
• Cycling trails in buffer zones of national parks.
• Pachmarhi under GSTC Green Destination certification.
• Addition of safari vehicles, canter buses and boating facilities.
Adventure Tourism Safety
• Collaboration with State Disaster Management Institute.
• Stakeholder workshops in national parks.
Water Tourism
• Cruise operations proposed on 120 km Meghnath Ghat–Statue of Unity waterway.
• Terminal construction at Meghnath Ghat and Sakarja under process.
• 5 LOAs issued for cruise operations.
• 40 traditional boats upgraded in Maheshwar.
• Collaboration with Indian Port Association for Gandhi Sagar and Rajghat.
• Licences issued for 41 activities in notified water bodies.
Film Tourism
• 400+ projects completed; ₹700 crore revenue, 1.5 lakh temporary jobs.
• Film Tourism Policy 2025 implemented.
• 52 projects issued LOA with ₹102 crore proposed investment.
• Film Cell Portal integrated with Ministry of I&B.
• Participation in IFFI Goa and WAVES Mumbai.
• MoU with Spain Film Commission.
• Major films shot: Stree, Maharani, Gullak, Panchayat, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Laapataa Ladies, Homebound.
• Homebound nominated for Oscars 2026; Vimukt awarded at TIFF 2025.
Major Honours & Awards
• 8th Travel & Hospitality Awards – Best State Tourism Board.
• VETA – Leading Heritage Tourism Destination.
• SATTE – Best State Tourism Award.
• DDP India Travel Awards – Best State Tourism Board.
• The Week Golden Banyan Award – Best Heritage Tourism State.
• India MICE Awards – Most Focused MICE Destination of India.
• National Award for Excellence 2025 – Responsible Tourism Project.
• MP Excellence Awards 2025.
• ATOAI – Best State of Adventure Tourism Award.
• TOF Tigers Wildlife Tourism Award – 2025.
Art & Handicrafts
• ₹5.1171 crore approved for Craft Handloom Village, Maheshwar.
• ₹20.60 crore approved for Craft Tourism Village, Kukshi.
• ₹8 crore proposal prepared for Bhairugarh Craft Village, Ujjain.
New Series of Museums
• Veer Bharat Nyas Museum, Ujjain – work commenced.
• City Museum, Bhopal – final stage.
• Museum of Music, Gwalior – proposed.
• Atal Museum, Gwalior – nearing completion.
• Sant Ravidas Museum, Sagar – under construction.
• Diamond Museum, Panna – approved.
• Geological Museum, Bhedaghat – approved.
• Devi Ahilyabai Museum, Maheshwar – approved.
• Rani Durgavati Museum, Jabalpur – approved.
Development of Cultural & Religious Loks
• Construction of 20 Loks at a cost of ₹900 crore.
• Shri Ram Raja Lok, Orchha – final stage (Phase I).
• Devi Lok, Salkanpur – civil works complete.
• Maa Narmada Mahalok, Amarkantak – Phase I nearing completion.
• Jageshwari Mata Lok, Chanderi – under progress.
• Kamadgiri Parikrama Path, Chitrakoot – under progress.
• Parshuram Lok, Janapav – completed.
• Hanuman Lok, Jamsawali – completed.
• Pitambara Mai Lok, Datia – approved.
• Devi Ahilya Lok, Maheshwar – approved.
• Sharda Lok, Maihar – DPR and concept prepared, approval in process.
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