At a time when the Maharashtra tourism department is toying with the idea of getting a brand ambassador, the recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on neighbouring state Gujarat, which is promoted by Amitabh Bachhan, can provide something to ponder on. Tourism growth in Gujarat has been marginally higher than the national average, but less than half than that of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
At a time when the Maharashtra tourism department is toying with the idea of getting a brand ambassador, the recent Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on neighbouring state Gujarat, which is promoted by Amitabh Bachhan, can provide something to ponder on. Tourism growth in Gujarat has been marginally higher than the national average, but less than half than that of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
With the actor's charisma, Gujarat has gone from strength to strength – The state has registered a marginally higher growth in tourist inflow, compared to the rest of the country. However, the latest CAG report reveals that the growth of adjoining states Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh was more than twice that of Gujarat.
Data with the government watchdog shows that Gujarat's tourism department adopted a three-pronged strategy: Strengthen existing attractions, develop low profile tourism places into attractions and create new attractions.
This approach prompted an increase in tourist inflow from 1.70 crore in 2009-10 to 2.88 crore in 2013-14. "However, the growth of tourism in neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh was double than that of Gujarat," the report reads.
The development seems significant, in view of the fact that the tourism departement in Maharashtra is actively searching for a brand ambassador. The department is toying with the idea of approaching cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, among other eminent personalities.
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