Chennai: Bihar State Tourism Development
Corporation is taking a series of initiatives, including
boosting eco-tourism, to attract more visitors to the state, a
top official said in Chennai on Friday.
"There is more emphasis on eco-tourism as it was absent
earlier. The Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve and the Black-Buck
Safari are some of the initiatives in this regard," BSTDC
Managing Director D K Shukla told a press meet here.
As for the Tiger Reserve, which ranks fourth in India in
terms of density of the wild cat population, tourists would be
allowed only in "restricted areas" out of the 880 sq.km.
sanctuary, he said.
Infrastructure and transport necessary for the tourism
sector have been developed and the "image of and perception
about Bihar is changing," Shukla said.
Year 2011 marked 2,600 years of enlightenment of Lord
Buddha and celebrations would continue in 2012 also, he said,
adding a slew of activities had been either rolled out or were
in the anvil to attract more tourists to the state.
This includes the popular Buddhist Circuit programme,
Rural Tourism, Aqua Tourism with focus on river Ganga and Yoga
and Meditation Package, among others, he said.
The provisional tourists figure in January-December 2011
was 1.32 crore, including over 5.27 lakh foreign visitors to
his state, Shukla added.
PTI
