It is all set to showcase it cultural heritage and prop up beaches to attract tourists.

In a bid to develop tourism, the state government has decided to develop eight tourist hubs. They are;

Ahmedabad city, Ahmedabad rural, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Junagadh, Jamnagar & Bhuj, informed tourism minister Jaynarayan Vyas while addressing the media.
Vyas said the state government would focus on heritage-tourism, religious-tourism, and adventure tourism and will use its 1600-km wide seacoast to prop up beach-tourism.

Vyas said the tourists are already attracted to the 270 beaches in different parts of Gujarat, and to encourage the tourist the state government has been contemplating to hold beach festivals at selected every year. “This would help them to know the beach and environment around it,” he added.

The tourism minister said that the state government is going to develop 36tourist destinations, suggested by CEPT, with facilities like drinking water supply, roads, sanitation, garden and sitting arrangements. He said international conference of bird watcher s is going to be held at Khijadiya sanctuary in Jamnagar district.
Vyas said the state government is keen on showcasing the architectural heritage including buildings, government offices, places and havelis. “People here, enjoy variety of fairs and festivals. The state government arranging festival like Vibrant Navratri and International Kites festival, Rann Mahotsav etc. to attract tourist from all over the globe,” he said.

He said the state government is in developing places associated with Budhhism. A seminar for the same was held in January 2010.

To provide skilled man power to the tourism sector, government has tied-up with Ahmedabad Management of Association (AMA) and Institute of Hotel Management. It has decided to organize a B2B travel mart in December to acquaint national and International travel agents and tour operators with various tourism products of Gujarat.

Ahmedabad Mirror, 22nd July, 2010.