MP Tourism Board empowers over 6,500 rural women in hospitality sector

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is making tourist destinations safer and comfortable for women travellers under Safe Tourism Destination for Women (STDW) project. This is not only attracting solo women tourists in a big way, but also empowering rural women of the State.

Out of 10,000 women who have been trained by the MPTB, over 65 per cent have achieved employment in the hospitality sector, Madhya Pradesh Culture and Tourism Minister Dharmendra Singh Lodhi said.

“More than 6,591 women were either placed in various jobs or self-employed after completion of the skill development training. They were engaged at the tourist destinations to maximise the women workforce. Within next one year, all 10,000 women will be given livelihood support.”

The Minister further said, “At many tourist destinations, the rural women are coming first time to get trained in various job roles like car driver, sailor, forest guide, security guard and other hospitability services.”

Speaking to Bizz Buzz, MP Tourism Principal Secretary Sheo Shekhar Shukla said that they are committed to making all the major tourist destinations in the State safe for women. The STDW project is being implemented across 50 tourist destinations, under 20 clusters in 33 districts.

Around 40,000 young girls were given self-defense training from each destination. Till January 2024, about 29,387 rural women were trained and active as social capital at their destinations to support the tourism and cultural events, he informed.

The MPTB plans to declare at least one destination fully-managed by women in a year. It aims for financial inclusion of the rural women. For their social upliftment, it is hosting stakeholders’ sensitisation programmes. It is also working with police department to identify shadow areas.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, the MPTB has recently organised only women biking event 'Queens on the wheel' in which around 25 women bike riders from across the country embarked on a journey covering 1,400 kilometers through the prominent places including Bhopal, Sanchi, Chanderi, Kuno, Gwalior, Orchha, and Khajuraho.