The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has been actively working on the safety of the tourists and especially solo women travellers. MP is a state that is dedicated towards the involvement of women in the tourism industry be it from Gypsy drivers and Forest guides from Shivpuri, Pachmarhi and Tamia, Boatmen and Story tellers from Jabalpur and Gwalior, Women Safety guards from pilgrimage places like Ujjain, Chitrakoot and Maihar and Segway Drivers to Hospitality professionals in Khajuraho. The government of Madhya Pradesh works closely with several other departments like Police, Women and Child Development, Urban Development, Transport, Education and Skill Development to create a more accommodating atmosphere for the people of the state and the tourists visiting the state.
According to a press release by MP Tourism Board, the idea is to make safer tourist destinations for women where even a solo female traveller can feel at home. Tourism is one of the key drivers of socio-economic development and its integral for tourists to have a safe and secured environment. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has nominated Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India to support in the conduction of baseline surveys and situation analysis under the “Safe Tourism Destinations for Women” project which a part of Responsible Tourism Mission of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board. It includes the following activities –
• Capacity building, orientation & training and sensitization
• Strengthening of safety mechanism
• Skill and Employment generation
• Fulfilment of infrastructural gaps at the tourism destinations with regard to women safety
• Self-defence training
• Community participation and awareness
• Formation of legal bodies and federations
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Human Resource Development
MP Tourism Board also works in convergence with other departments including NGO’s and CSRs to ensure women safety and in fact Madhya Pradesh is the pioneer state in India to take efforts for women safety and upliftment in the tourism industry. MP aims to provide a more comfortable experience for the visitors in the company of female gypsy drivers and guides which can make other women feel more comfortable. It also inspires local youth of the villages and suburbs to make a career in the hospitality industry and contribute to the development of their local region.
