The erstwhile Maharajas and the lesser royalty in Madhya Pradesh are ready to barter slices of their past for a better present. Many of them are offering palaces and havelis to leading hotel chains because they can no longer afford to maintain the imposing edifices spread over acres of land. The sprawling premises constantly remind them of their royal past, and the not so royal present.

What has helped, or promises to, their cause is that there are hotel chains looking for properties that can be developed as heritage hotels, especially for international tourists.

Rajasthan is the role model here. The desert state has the largest number of heritage hotels, some of which attract guests throughout the year even though there are no places of tourist interest nearby. The role played by the Rajasthan Government in promoting the heritage hotels has also popularised the concept here.

Madhya Pradesh may have begun late, but the Government appears serious about promoting the idea. As of now, the state has fewer than ten heritage hotels, scattered across different districts. Despite its huge tourism potential and central location, the state does not attract as many tourists as some of the smaller states.

The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation had carried out a survey of possible heritage properties like forts, palaces and havelis. Private players own 275 of the 724 such properties in the state. The rest are either protected monuments or under the possession of the state Government.

The Corporation recently brought the erstwhile royals and the potential investors together, probably the first such effort in Madhya Pradesh. Though the Government said it was only playing the role of a facilitator its presence lend more credibility to the effort. Organised in one of the leading heritage hotels in the state capital, the meet attracted 61 private owners and 74 potential investors. Though no MoUs were signed, the meet was successful as several investors showed interest in the properties, especially around Gwalior, Panna and Indore.

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