Ladhpura Khas, a village in Madhya Pradesh's Niwari district, has been nominated in the 'Best Tourism Village' category for the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Award, a senior State government official said.
"The Union Ministry of Tourism has nominated Ladhpura Khas village near tourist town Orchha under the Best Tourism Village category for the United Nations World Tourism Organization Award. Along with this, two other villages have been nominated - (one each) from Meghalaya and Telangana," Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Culture Department's Principal Secretary, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, said in a statement.
The 'Rural Tourism Project' has been started in villages across the State, including in Ladhpura Khas, with an objective of giving shape to the concept of village tourism by adding new dimensions, he said.
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"In the next five years, 100 villages will be developed from the point of view of rural tourism. Among these, suitable sites will be selected and developed around tourist places, including Orchha, Khajuraho, Mandu, Sanchi, Pachmarhi, Tamia, Panna National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Sanjay Dubri National Park, Pench and Kanha National Park, etc," he said.
Mr. Shukla said that rural tourism provides an opportunity to local people to learn about the interests and needs of tourists while maintaining the importance of local culture and tradition.
"The local community will directly benefit from the development of tourism in their area. MP Tourism Board is also providing training to develop tourism-related products with community participation," he said.
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Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has congratulated all the officers and employees of the tourism department for nominating Ladhpura Khas village as the 'best tourist village' and said that it was a matter of pride for the State.