India has announced plans worth Rs 1,000 Crore (US$183.6m, 140.3m euro, £113.9m) to develop 20 tourist parks across the country to mirror resort town developments in Cancun, Mexico and Sentosa, Singapore.

Tourism Minister Shri Sahai revealed the plans at the National Tourism Advisory Council meeting on 12 December.

His tourism development strategy, to be included in the government's five-year plan, outlines plans for skill development, infrastructure development, promotion and branding and taxation and incentives.

He proposed the tourism parks, which would consist of hotels, convention centres, theme parks and skills training centres, would be developed through public private partnerships and would employ locally.

His strategy stipulated each park would be at least 50-acres and would include facilities for craft centres, entertainment and amusement, food streets, sports and cultural events.

A consultant has been appointed to develop action plans for deciding park locations and setting them up.

In addition to tourist parks, Sahai revealed plans to invest in rural villages with unique craft and ethnic art forms, to promote India to new markets in Africa, the Middle East, Russia and Southeast Asia.

He also proposes to market new tourism products such as golf, polo, wellness and medical tourism, caravan tours and cruises.