Interview
Madhya Pradesh transforms during the monsoon. How do you envision the state’s role in redefining monsoon tourism in India?
A.
Madhya Pradesh is uniquely positioned to lead India’s monsoon tourism with its rich blend of spiritual vibrancy, natural beauty, and immersive local experiences. From the divine aura of Shravan celebrations at Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar, to ‘Buffer Mein Safar’—which opens up rain-soaked forest buffer zones for eco-friendly safaris and tribal stays—we are showcasing how monsoon can be both sacred and adventurous.
Initiatives like the Monsoon Marathon in Pachmarhi, curated drive routes through waterfalls and hill stations, and and the Street Food Trails across Indore, Bhopal, and Gwalior capture the mood of the season—whether it’s bhutte ka kees or hot poha-jalebi under a rainy sky. Our focus is on slower, soulful, sustainable travel—inviting travelers to explore offbeat destinations like Tamia, Patalkot, and Madai, and connect deeply with the rhythm of the land.
Through this holistic approach, Madhya Pradesh is not just promoting travel in the rains—we’re redefining the monsoon as a season of discovery, devotion, and deep connection.
Q. What are the key strategies MP Tourism is implementing to promote lesser-known monsoon destinations, while ensuring sustainability and inclusivity?
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Madhya Pradesh Tourism is strategically reimagining monsoon travel through a multi-pronged approach that emphasizes offbeat exploration, sustainability, and community participation:
- 50+ Hidden Destinations Promoted
Under its Responsible Tourism Mission, MP has identified and actively promoted over 50 lesser-known destinations including Tamia, Patalkot, Madai, Madla, Bhanpura, and Sabarvani through curated monsoon itineraries and campaigns like #IntezaarKhatamHua. - ‘Buffer Mein Safar’ – Eco-Tourism in Tiger Reserve Buffer Zones
This unique campaign opens buffer areas of national parks such as Satpura, Panna, and Kanha for eco-tourism during monsoon closures of core zones. Visitors can engage in tribal-guided nature walks, birdwatching, and forest camping while supporting conservation and local livelihoods. - Community-Run Homestays and Women Empowerment
With over 241 functional homestays across 121 villages, MP’s rural tourism model is deeply inclusive. Many homestays are led by women, trained in hospitality, local cuisine, and craft-based enterprise, creating livelihoods and preserving tradition. - Sustainable Infrastructure and Eco-Friendly Facilities
Eco-sensitive development includes tent cities (like in Gandhisagar and Hanuwantiya), EV charging stations, solar lighting in villages like Umri Kheda, and green upgrades in sites such as Mandu, which received a ₹25 crore tourism infrastructure boost this year. - Monsoon-Exclusive Activities and Events
MP now hosts seasonal highlights like the Pachmarhi Monsoon Marathon, expanding Jal Mahotsav-style festivals to 15 water-rich locations, and promoting cruise tourism on the Narmada and Tawa rivers. - Partnerships, Recognition, and Digital Amplification
MPTB’s strategic tie-ups with MakeMyTrip, redBus, and influencers have expanded reach, while the Responsible Tourism project has earned national awards for its inclusive, sustainable tourism model.
Q. Mandu is seen as the heart of monsoon romance. What new initiatives are being introduced this year?
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Set against the rain-soaked Vindhyas, Mandu, a site on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, is being reimagined as a living monsoon heritage retreat—where romance, architecture, and accessibility converge.
This season, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism has launched several new initiatives to enrich the monsoon experience:
- ₹25 crore infrastructure upgrade including enhanced lighting, pathways, signage, and sanitation.
- Inclusive accessibility features like ramps, tactile paths, Braille/audio signage, accessible toilets, and rest zones—ensuring Mandu is welcoming to all.
- Eco-friendly tent city and glamping near Jahaz Mahal, along with EV charging stations to promote green mobility.
- Tribal homestays and cuisine trails offering immersive cultural stays and local monsoon flavors.
- Curated cultural experiences including heritage walks, sound-and-light shows, and tribal performances.
Mandu is no longer just a destination—it’s a monsoon mood. A soulful blend of rain, romance, and revival.
Q. Amarkantak is sacred and ecologically important. How is MP Tourism positioning it for spiritual and wellness tourism during monsoon?
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Amarkantak, the sacred origin of the Narmada River, is being promoted as a serene monsoon retreat for the body, mind, and soul—where spirituality flows in harmony with ecology.
This season, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is curating immersive experiences that highlight Amarkantak’s dual identity as a pilgrimage town and wellness haven:
- Yoga and Ayurveda-based wellness packages with support from certified institutions and local wellness practitioners.
- Eco-friendly stays and homestays set amid forests and hills, offering peaceful, rain-washed surroundings rooted in community hospitality.
- Nature treks and spiritual walks within the Achanakmar–Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve, rich in flora, fauna, and sacred groves.
- Spiritual circuits connecting sites like Mai ki Bagiya, Kapildhara, Sonmuda, and ancient Kalachuri temples.
Most notably, Amarkantak serves as the starting point of the Narmada Parikrama—a sacred 3,000 km circumambulation of the river steeped in mythology, ecology, and devotion. MPTB has launched a 15-day curated Parikrama itinerary, combining walking and road travel, with comfortable MPT stays, guided cultural immersion, and moments of quiet introspection along the river’s rejuvenated, monsoon-fed banks.
Q. What is the ‘Buffer Mein Safar’ campaign, and how does it integrate tourism with conservation and livelihoods?
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‘Buffer Mein Safar’ is Madhya Pradesh Tourism’s innovative approach to making wildlife conservation and community livelihoods deeply interconnected. By shifting the focus from core tiger zones to the surrounding buffer areas—especially during the monsoon—the campaign opens up a new model of responsible, inclusive tourism.
These buffer zones offer immersive nature-based experiences such as guided safaris, forest treks, birdwatching, and tribal-led interpretation walks, especially in areas like Pench, Satpura, Kanha, and Panna. Many of these experiences are curated and led by local community members, creating direct livelihood opportunities in guiding, hosting, and hospitality.
Notably, the campaign has empowered communities such as the Pardhi tribe—once associated with hunting—by training them as naturalists and conservation ambassadors. This transformation from poachers to protectors is a powerful example of tourism being used as a tool for social rehabilitation and environmental stewardship.
Eco-friendly homestays, sustainable forest lodges, and locally sourced cuisine further ensure that tourism revenue flows back into villages, while visitors gain authentic engagement with tribal culture and conservation efforts.
By encouraging slow, sensitive, and locally rooted travel, ‘Buffer Mein Safar’ not only reduces pressure on core habitats but also helps build a sustainable, community-powered future for India’s wild heart.
Q. What immersive experiences can travelers expect in these buffer zones?
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Madhya Pradesh’s buffer zones offer travelers a chance to slow down and engage with nature in its purest form—beyond the safari. These landscapes are now home to eco-tourism experiences that bring conservation, culture, and community together.
Travelers can enjoy guided nature trails, birdwatching, and machan sittings, allowing for peaceful wildlife observation in the quietude of the forest. At notified eco-tourism sites, curated offerings include camping, glamping, tented stays, and interpretive forest walks designed for minimal environmental impact.
Visitors are also welcomed into nearby villages to experience tribal music and dance, cuisine workshops, and craft-making sessions, while also participating in community-led conservation efforts like tree planting and habitat restoration.
From the Satpura and Pench Tiger Reserve buffers, to Kanha and Panna’s eco-sensitive zones, each destination presents a thoughtful blend of wildlife, wilderness, and local wisdom—inviting travelers to not just witness the forest, but to feel a part of its living rhythm.
Q. What infrastructural improvements have been undertaken to enhance monsoon tourism?
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Madhya Pradesh has undertaken a series of targeted infrastructure upgrades to transform monsoon tourism into a seamless, inclusive, and enriching experience:
- Enhanced Road and Rail Connectivity
Key routes leading to destinations like Amarkantak, Bori Sanctuary, and Tamia have seen improvements in last-mile road connectivity and rail accessibility, easing travel even during the rains. - Inclusive Heritage Infrastructure
A ₹25 crore beautification and accessibility enhancement project in Mandu includes tactile pathways, Braille signage, ramps, accessible toilets, and intuitive navigation systems, ensuring heritage sites are welcoming to all, including the elderly and differently abled. - Eco-Stays, Tent Cities & Glamping Hubs
Eco-sensitive accommodations such as tent cities in Gandhisagar and Hanuwantiya, and glamping sites in Pachmarhi, Tamia, and forest buffers offer comfortable stays close to nature, even during monsoon showers. - Digital Booking & Smart Access
Homestays, forest lodges, and eco-camps are now available through integrated online booking platforms, allowing travelers to plan responsibly and conveniently. - Green Infrastructure Push
The state is integrating EV charging stations, solar lighting, accessible drinking water points, and solid waste management systems across key tourism zones, supporting eco-conscious travel.
These upgrades not only improve physical access, but also redefine comfort, safety, and inclusion across monsoon destinations—making Madhya Pradesh a leader in monsoon-ready, sustainable tourism infrastructure.
Q. What infrastructural improvements have been undertaken to enhance monsoon tourism?
A.
Madhya Pradesh has implemented a comprehensive set of infrastructure initiatives to make monsoon tourism more accessible, immersive, and sustainable:
- Enhanced Connectivity
Road and rail upgrades have improved access to monsoon-rich destinations like Amarkantak, Bori Sanctuary, Gandhisagar, and Tamia, strengthening last-mile travel even during heavy rains. - Barrier-Free Heritage Development
Sites like Mandu are undergoing a ₹25 crore upgrade with ramps, tactile paths, Braille and audio signage, accessible sanitation, and intuitive wayfinding systems, enabling universal access. - Eco-Stays & Monsoon-Ready Retreats
Tent cities and glamping hubs have been launched in Gandhisagar, Tamia, Hanuwantiya, and Pachmarhi, offering rain-proof comfort in the lap of nature. - Digital & Immersive Tourism Tools
Heritage sites are being equipped with QR-coded information panels and AR/VR-based digital guides, enabling interactive self-guided tours—even in inclement weather. - Dedicated Homestay Booking Platform
The official homestay website (launched by MPTB) allows travelers to discover and directly book from a growing network of rural and eco-friendly stays, promoting community tourism across the state.
These layered upgrades ensure that Madhya Pradesh offers not just a monsoon destination, but a monsoon-ready experience—welcoming, intuitive, inclusive, and rooted in conscious travel.
Q. How is MPTB collaborating with private partners and digital platforms to expand monsoon tourism?
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Our partnerships span four dimensions:
- Travel Platforms: We’ve onboarded MakeMyTrip, redBus, and Goibibo to integrate MP’s homestays and circuits.
- Influencer Collaborations: The #IntezaarKhatamHua campaign generated over 3 crore impressions, taking our monsoon stories to a pan-India audience.
- Roadshows and B2B Meets: Held in Chennai, Jaipur, Varanasi, and Vizag, connecting with over 1000+ travel agents and media.
- Community Integration: Over 40,000 women trained, 200+ tribal artisans onboarded, and 300+ homestays now available online.
Our model ensures scale with sensitivity, combining outreach with deep-rooted local impact.
Q. Post-pandemic, is there a shift toward slower and nature-centric travel? How is MP Tourism adapting?
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Absolutely. The post-pandemic traveler is seeking restorative, nature-led, and culturally grounded experiences—a shift clearly reflected in Madhya Pradesh’s tourism trends. In 2024, the state recorded an all-time high of 13.41 crore visitors, a 526% increase over 2020 footfall, with a significant surge in religious, wildlife, and heritage travel (Travel and Tour World).
How MP Tourism is Adapting:
- Strengthening Nature and Wildlife Tourism
With a 7.5% rise in wildlife footfall, MP has enhanced visitor offerings across Satpura, Panna, Kanha, and Pench, emphasizing walking safaris, forest stays, and buffer zone experiences under initiatives like Buffer Mein Safar—designed for slower, more intimate encounters with nature. - Spiritual and Wellness Circuits
Ujjain alone recorded 9.8 crore visitors in 2024, driven significantly by the success of the Mahakal Lok corridor, which has transformed the pilgrimage experience into a holistic spiritual journey. Inspired by this, similar ‘Lok’ and ‘Dham’ developments are now underway in destinations like Amarkantak, Chitrakoot, and Maheshwar and Omkareshwar—integrating long-stay retreats, spiritual trails, and wellness offerings rooted in nature and culture.
- Rural and Homestay Tourism Expansion
MP Tourism has introduced over 241 homestays in 121 villages, many operated by locals, especially women. These stays offer travelers slow, grounded experiences in natural and cultural landscapes. A dedicated online portal now enables direct bookings. - Digital-First, Independent Travel Support
From e-bookings for safaris and homestays to digital storytelling through AR/VR and QR-enabled interpretation, MP is equipping destinations to support independent, slow-paced, and meaningful travel.
In essence, Madhya Pradesh is not just responding to this post-pandemic shift—it’s leading it. By aligning its offerings with what travelers now seek—time, tranquility, and transformation—MP is positioning itself as India’s heartland for slow, soulful, and sustainable tourism.
Q. What is your message to travelers considering Madhya Pradesh as a monsoon destination this year?
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Madhya Pradesh, the heart of Incredible India, transforms during the monsoon into a landscape of unparalleled beauty and depth. From the ethereal charm of Mandu’s monsoon-soaked heritage, to the spiritual calm of Amarkantak, and the thriving biodiversity of our buffer zones, the state offers experiences that go beyond sightseeing.
This is a season to experience slow, meaningful travel—to engage with local communities, explore our eco-cultural circuits, and reconnect with nature at its most expressive.
We invite travelers to discover a monsoon that is immersive, inclusive, and deeply personal.
#HumeHaiIntezaarAapka—to witness the magic that only Madhya Pradesh can offer during the rains.
