The middle class domestic tourist will soon get his own 'Palace on Wheels,' with the tourism ministry planning to launch a medium-fare tourist train connecting the four southern states of the country.
"We have planned to launch a tourist train service named Southern Splendour which would run between important tourist destinations in the four South Indian states," Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury said on Friday.
Denying reports that there were not many takers for tourist train services in the country due to unaffordable rates, she said Southern Splendour would be very affordable and was targeted at domestic tourists.
Speaking at the 5th Editors Conference on Social Sector Issues, Chowdhury said the success of tourist trains had in fact prompted the ministry to consider launching more such trains.
On other plans of her ministry, she said there was special emphasis on increasing job opportunities in the sector from 41 million to 66 million by the end of the Tenth Five-Year Plan.
Keeping in view the Commonwealth Games to be held in the capital in 2010, she said her ministry would take steps to develop more 'budget hotels.'
She added that efforts were being made to develop pilgrimage tourism and health tourism in the country besides promoting villages as tourist destinations.