3 days ago
MP positions itself as hub for wellness & spiritual tourism
Ujjain: Riding on the spiritual appeal of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga—visited daily by nearly 1 lakh devotees, Madhya Pradesh is stepping up efforts to position itself as a hub for wellness and spiritual tourism, with Ujjain as the focal point of investor interest.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
State govt showcased land banks, polices and investment opportunities in the state to investors.
Leading stakeholders held one-on-one discussions with chief minister Mohan Yadav, exploring opportunities worth thousands of crores in tourism and wellness infrastructure at the Wellness and Spiritual Conclave held on Thursday.
Highlighting growing interest from national hospitality chains, Mukund Prasad, director at Leisure Hotels Group, said the company is actively expanding into Madhya Pradesh after acquiring land parcels in Kanha and Pench.
The group is now exploring Ujjain and Omkareshwar for spiritual and wellness tourism projects.
"The state policies are highly supportive and officials are responsive to the needs of promoters. The govt is encouraging investors to combine luxury tourism with wellness, and the group is planning to invest around Rs 200 crore, as wellness development heavily depends on quality infrastructure," said Prasad.
Spiritual institutions too have shown keen interest in MP's sacred landscape.
Swami Chaitanya Hari, founder of Yoga Nisarga and Vedic Yoga School, said his group is exploring tranquil locations along the Narmada Parikrama and Kshipra river regions to establish wellness centres and ashrams.
"These areas offer a spiritually rich and naturally serene environment, ideally suited for holistic healing and yoga-based practices," said Hari.
Apart from infrastructure, investors also emphasised the importance of rooting wellness in local culture and resources.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Shubham Agnihotri, vice chairman of the Taiwan India Ayurveda Association, stressed that Madhya Pradesh's wealth of herbs, tribal wisdom, and nutrition-based biodiversity should be integral to the wellness ecosystem.
"Local farmers must be included in the supply chain for sourcing food and herbs, ensuring that wellness tourism is both sustainable and authentic," said Agnihotri.
The influx of spiritual tourism has also triggered large-scale interest from the real estate and hotel sector. CREDAI Ujjain president Mahesh Paryani said demand for hospitality infrastructure is growing rapidly.
"Around ten major hotel chains have already tied up for projects in the city and are expected to begin operations by the next financial year. These hotels are expected to invest over Rs 3,000 crore," he said.
