Madhya Pradesh Tourism Enters a New Phase of International Growth, Says Dr. Abhay Arvind Bedekar

From BRICS and living heritage to film tourism and community-led experiences, Madhya Pradesh is strengthening its global tourism engagement.

BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Madhya Pradesh is entering a new phase in its international tourism journey, with sustained efforts to build global trade relationships, strengthen destination visibility and translate growing international interest into travel itineraries and arrivals. According to Dr. Abhay Arvind Bedekar, Additional Managing Director of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB), the focus is now shifting from establishing an international presence to converting the foundation already created into sustained market engagement.

“The work of the past three years has been about building a presence. The conversations are in place, the relationships exist, the content is documented. What we are now focused on is translation, turning that groundwork into arrivals, itineraries and sustained trade engagement,” says Dr. Bedekar.

The State's international tourism profile has been strengthened by a combination of global media engagement, international travel trade outreach, FAM programs and collaboration with Indian Missions overseas. Madhya Pradesh was also recognized by the Wall Street Journal among its ‘Go-To Global Destinations for 2025’. Its three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Khajuraho, Sanchi and Bhimbetka continue to provide a strong foundation for international itineraries, alongside its wildlife, cultural and experiential tourism offerings.

A BRICS Opportunity for Madhya Pradesh

One of the significant developments shaping the State's international tourism outlook has been its association with India's 2026 BRICS Chairship. With India placing emphasis on sustainable tourism, artificial intelligence, skilling and seamless travel facilitation under its BRICS agenda, Dr. Bedekar sees opportunities for Madhya Pradesh to strengthen engagement with an expanded group of international source markets.

“BRICS now includes countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Ethiopia alongside the original members. That is a significant expansion of the source market conversation for Indian states. For Madhya Pradesh, which has been building its outreach across Gulf and Southeast Asian markets, the BRICS tourism framework provides a structured multilateral context for bilateral engagement,” he says.

Bringing Living Heritage into the Tourism Narrative

Madhya Pradesh's international tourism proposition extends beyond its monuments and protected heritage sites to encompass traditions that continue to thrive within local communities.

Three of the State's traditions, the Maihar Band, Agaria iron-smelting practice and Nimari cuisine, were recently inscribed in India's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Sangeet Natak Akademi. For MPTB, the recognition provides an additional platform to communicate the State's living cultural traditions to international audiences.

“International visitors today are increasingly looking for access to living heritage: practices that are still active, communities that are still engaged. Madhya Pradesh has that across music, metallurgy, food, craft and performing arts. The national ICH inscription gives us a formal, internationally legible credential to attach to experiences that we have already been promoting,” says Dr. Bedekar.

This approach also extends to lesser-known cultural assets such as the Bell Metal craft of Tikamgarh but now concentrated in Betaul, and the Scindia Chhatris of Shivpuri, which are being positioned alongside the State's better-known UNESCO heritage sites as part of its international heritage narrative.

Film Tourism as a New Avenue for Destination Promotion

Another emerging area is Film Tourism, supported by Madhya Pradesh's Film Tourism Policy 2025, launched at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai. The policy provides a framework for attracting national and international productions through incentives, infrastructure development and facilitation support.

“Film is one of the most effective forms of destination marketing that exists and it works across source markets in ways that conventional advertising does not. When a location appears in a film or series that reaches a global audience, it generates a kind of interest that no press release can replicate,” says Dr. Bedekar.

MPTB is continuing its engagement with international production houses and film commissions, using the policy as a structured platform to explore future opportunities for filming and destination promotion.

Community at the Centre of Responsible Tourism

Community-led tourism is another area in which Madhya Pradesh is aligning its destination development with evolving international travel preferences. The State has developed 346 operational village homestays across 121 villages and 642 homestays under construction, while its tribal tourism circuits have also generated interest through international travel trade engagements.

“Responsible tourism is not a marketing phrase for us, it is the operational reality in destinations like Parsili, the Agaria villages, or the craft clusters of Pranpur, Chanderi. The community is the experience. What we are working on internationally is making sure that the travel trade understands how to package and sell that authentically, and that the communities themselves benefit directly from the footfall,” he says.

Building the Next Phase of International Tourism

While Madhya Pradesh has made considerable progress in establishing its international tourism presence, Dr. Bedekar acknowledges that there remains an opportunity to translate the State's extensive heritage and wildlife assets into a greater share of India's inbound international tourism.

“The infrastructure is improving. The content is documented and credible. The international trade relationships are in place. What we need now is consistent, sustained engagement, not a single roadshow but a presence that the global travel trade encounters repeatedly and reliably. That is the work of the next phase,” he says.

For Madhya Pradesh, this next phase represents an opportunity to build on the international relationships, destination narratives and tourism products developed over recent years, while presenting the State to global travelers through a broader proposition encompassing heritage, wildlife, living culture, film tourism, community experiences and responsible travel.

Sloane
SA
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