Bangalore, Feb 17 (PTI) Seeking to woo tourists, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board (CTB) plans to earmark Rs 10 crore for a 360-degree marketing campaign in the next financial year. "CTB plans to spend Rs 10 crore in next financial year for marketing campaign focusing on Chhattisgarh's wildlife offerings, history and heritage," CTB Managing Director Tapesh Kumar Jha told reporters here. Last fiscal Rs seven crore was alloted for promoting tourism in Chhattisgarh, he said. The government had concentrated on improving facilities at tourist spots during the past decade after the state formation and now wanted to promote tourism in a big way, Jha said. Brushing aside fear of naxalism affecting tourism in Chhattisgarh, Jha said it was a bit unfair to term the entire state naxal-infested. "Naxalism has very strong presence in the southern parts of Chhattisgarh, not in nothern parts of the state, where CTB is focusing more," he said. Inspite of presence of naxalism in southern parts of Chhattisgarh, many travellers from Germany and England are visiting tourist spots in Bastar region including Dantewada, Jha said. "Definitely Chhattisgarh is a safest place to visit. No visitors have been attacked so far by the naxalites," he said. There is immense potential for tourism in the State, which has 44 per cent forest cover and various attractive tourist destinations, Jha said.
