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Ujjain -- the holy city of Mahakal in Madhya Pradesh -- will host a global spiritual tourism conclave on Wednesday that will provide a platform for dialogue on strengthening infrastructure and the impact of AI and virtual reality in the sector.
The event is being organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, and the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, a tourism ministry statement said on Saturday.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will inaugurate the second Global Spiritual Tourism Conclave -- 'Ruhmantic' -- in the presence of Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the statement said.
Gauranga Das Prabhu, a spiritual leader, will deliver the keynote address.
Senior officials, including Suman Billa, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, and Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Madhya Pradesh Tourism, will also address the gathering.
A highlight of the event will be the release of the PHDCCI-KPMG report on spiritual tourism titled 'Faith and Flow: Navigating Crowds in India's Sacred Spaces'.
A government-industry roundtable, to be chaired by Chief Minister Yadav, will provide a platform for dialogue on strengthening infrastructure, responsible hospitality, and cultural promotion in spiritual tourism, the statement said.
The day-long deliberations will include thematic sessions on 'Temple Economies: Where Faith Meets Livelihood', examining how temple circuits sustain local economies; and 'Mahakal's Mandala: Ujjain's Spiritual Power and Urban Future', which will explore heritage and modernisation.