Tourist influx in MP’s national parks, wildlife sanctuaries rises by six fold

 

 

 

‘Tiger State’ Madhya Pradesh is receiving overwhelming response from wildlife lovers as tourist footfall in the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries increased by six fold in 2022-23. MP Forest Department collected revenue (gate money) of Rs 54 crore during financial year 2022-23 while during year 2021-22, total gate money collected was Rs 9 crore only. According to data shared by MP Forest Department, last year national parks and wildlife sanctuaries received 26,91,797 tourists and this includes 11,74,405 tourists in tiger reserve. There were 55,773 foreigner tourists. Highest number of tourists were there in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve 20,591. There were around 15 lakh visitors in other national parks and sancturies. Forest Department said that better wildlife management is the main reason of higher tourists footfall in State.

 

Record says that Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) has broken all records with higher number of tourists in this season. In the month of December 2022, BTR generated revenue of Rs 1.43 crore to the Government. As compared to last season, this year 2,122 more tourists reached the reserve while in comparison to year 2021-22, this season 2,294 more tourists reached the reserve. The reserve has six tourist zones, including buffer and core. In 2022-23 tourist influx increased rapidly especially for the core zone. In the month of October, 2022, 1,55,578 people reached the reserve to enjoy safari, including 14,809 Indians and 769 foreigners. During the month of December 2022, 19,216 people reached BTR. During the month of October when reserve was reopened after three months Monsoon closure, Government generated revenue of Rs one crore five lakh while in November figure reached to one crore and in December it reached to one crore 43 lakh. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Deputy Director BTR Lavit Bharati, said, “We have dense population of big cats and flora - fauna of Bandhavgarh is attracting tourists on a large scale. During peak season, many visitors did not get booking even after paying extra bucks.”