To mark International Yoga Day on Friday, over 5,000 Pariyatan Sakhi performed yoga at 50 tourist destinations in Madhya Pradesh, including UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Khajuraho, Bimbitka, Sanchi Stupa, Pachmarhi, Mandu and Gwalior.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, keeping in mind the theme of the day, “Yoga for yourself and society”, taking the message of “Tourism and Yoga” across the state.
Organised with the support of Women Safe Tourism Project’s partner organisations and the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB), this mega yoga event also saw the participation of local women, who inspire other women to enter the tourism industry.
The event provided an opportunity for Pariyatan Sakhi who had never been to the state before to visit the state and exposed them to the beauty, glorious history and rich culture of the state, creating awareness about these places and inspiring them to visit.
The event was attended by MPTB project support organisations, local administration, members of the District Archaeological Tourism and Cultural Council, project stakeholders, hoteliers, girls/women trained in skills and self-defence, school and college students, heads of establishments related to tourism business etc.
Local women also participated in this grand yoga event, inspiring other women to get into the tourism industry.
The ‘Safe Destinations for Women’ initiative by MPTB in association with the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Nirbhaya Fund, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, is nothing less than a benchmark to promote interaction among women, make women feel safe at tourist destinations and increase the number of women tourists.
Under this initiative, 10,000 women have been trained and linked to the tourism-related services sector, and 40,000 women and girls have been trained in self-defence.
There has been an increase in women being employed in the tourism sector, as well as a rise in comfort and sense of security among female tourists, especially those travelling alone.
To date, more than 8,000 women have been trained in 48 jobs in the tourism sector.
With the motto of “Safety First, Safety First”, the efforts being undertaken by the tourism department in collaboration with local communities have seen a significant increase in the number of solo female tourists across the state.
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First uploaded on: June 22, 2024 15:04 IST
