Massive Investment Opportunities for both Start-ups and Conglomerates in the Tourism Industry: Shri G. Kishan Reddy

Massive Investment Opportunities for both Start-ups and Conglomerates in the Tourism Industry: Shri G. Kishan Reddy

Ministry of Tourism, Government of India organised Roadshows at New Delhi and Mumbai on 26th and 27th April with the objective of raising awareness among stakeholders in the Travel and Tourism Industry about the forthcoming 1st Global Tourism Investors’ Summit. The Minister for Tourism, Culture and DoNER, Shri G. Kishan Reddy chaired the two Roadshows along with senior Ministerial officers.

Addressing attendees at the Roadshow, Shri G. Kishan Reddy said, “Considering the plethora of experiences the Indian tourism industry offers, such as wellness tourism, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, rural tourism, spiritual tourism and several others, both the State and Central Governments recognise the role that tourism can play in driving economic growth. Therefore, private investment, particularly in hotels and other tourism-related infrastructure, is critical.”

The Delhi event saw the presence of eminent industry stakeholders including Mr. Ajay Bakaya, MD of Sarovar Hotels, Mr. Patu Keswani, Chairman and MD of Lemon Tree Hotels, Mr. Deep Kalra, Co-Chairman of CII National Committee, Tourism and Hospitality and Founder & Chairman of MakeMyTrip and Mr. Nakul Anand, Executive Director of ITC Ltd amongst others. They shared their insights on the sector’s overview and its future prospects.

Key dignitaries at the Mumbai Roadshow, held on 27th April, included Shri Saurabh Vijay, Principal Secretary (Tourism), Government of Maharashtra, Shri Hareet Shukla, Secretary (Tourism), Government of Gujarat, Shri Vivek Shrotriya, Additional Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, Shri Pawan Jain, Joint Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan also attended and expressed their views during the event.

Prominent industry leaders including Mr. Vishal Kamat, Co-Chair, CII WR Sub Committee on Tourism and Hospitality, CEO, Kamat Hotels India Limited, Mr. Anuraag Bhatnagar, CEO, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, Cdr Nevil Malao, VSM (Retd), Vice President Head – Cruise & Navy Cell, J. M. Baxi & Co., Mr. Dhimant Bakshi, CEO, Imagica, Mr. Santhosh Kutty, CEO – Hotels, Mahindra Hotels and Resorts one to one interaction with Hon`ble Minister of Tourism, Shri G. Kishan Reddy at the Roadshow in Mumbai.

During the Business Seminar, Shri G. Kishan Reddy stated that, inspired by the ambitious vision of Prime Minister, the Government is working dedicatedly towards the sustained growth and promotion of tourism in India in Mission Mode. Various initiatives are being undertaken to provide both domestic and inbound tourists with memorable experiences. In addition to promoting the Global Tourism Investor summit, the roadshow also provided an opportunity for the Ministry of Tourism to gather feedback from the industry stakeholders.

The objective of the forthcoming Global Tourism Investors’ Summit is to highlight India’s travel and tourism sector as an ideal investment destination and give investors as well as the Central and State Governments a forum to explore investment opportunities. The participating states will have the opportunity to showcase strengths and unique offerings in terms of investible ready projects in the states to attract investments for tourism infrastructure. The Summit is also expected to facilitate meaningful discussions and collaborations between the Government and the private sector to promote the speedy growth and development of India’s tourism industry.

The first Global Tourism Investors’ Summit (GTIS) 2023 is being organized in partnership with Invest India as the Investment Promotion and Facilitation partner, and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as the Industry Partner, with an objective of providing a common platform for global and domestic players to interact and explore investment opportunities in the Indian travel and hospitality sector. The Summit, being organized under the ageis of India`s G 20 Presidency, offers an opportune platform for investors from the G20 countries to explore the Indian tourism industry products among other areas of bilateral/multilateral engagements.

Ministry of Tourism organises two day Chintan Shivir for promoting “Tourism in Mission Mode”

Ministry of Tourism organises two day Chintan Shivir for promoting “Tourism in Mission Mode”

In order to deliberate, ideate and devise strategies for promoting “Tourism in Mission Mode”, the Ministry of Tourism organized a two-day Chintan Shivir on March 28 and March 29 at New Delhi where all the States, Industry Associations and Industry leaders took part.

The agenda for discussions on the first day was set by Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER, Shri G. Kishan Reddy. He outlined the vision of the Government to leverage tourism as a vehicle for socio-economic development, job creation and achieving sustainable development goals for the country. He stated that this is the most opportune moment to unveil a shared vision for future of India’s tourism, guiding its course for next 25 years to make India as the most sought-after travel destination in the world when India celebrates 100 years of Independence in 2047. He pointed out the three key pillars of developing tourism in mission mode – active participation of the States, Convergence of Government Programs and Public Private Partnerships. He stated that one major step would be to develop National Strategies and Models for providing guidance to the States in developing their tourism potential. The Ministry has recently formulated National strategies for development of various tourism sectors such as Rural Tourism, Adventure Tourism, MICE Tourism, Ecotourism, Medical Tourism, Sustainable Tourism.

Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India stated that the 02 day Chintan Shivir will provide a platform to all stakeholders to conduct fruitful interactions and share good practices followed across the country and a stage to share unique  ideas involving technological solutions in travel sector, sustainability in tourism and responsible travel with the aim to take the benefits of tourism to the grass root level.

The first day`s agenda of discussions was divided into 6 Sessions deliberating on Incredible India@100 – Shared vision of Central Government, States and Industry, Policy Benchmarking and Ease of Doing Business, Investible Projects and Public Private Partnerships, “Global Best Practices and Capacity Building for Tourism Investments” by UNWTO, Developing MICE Tourism and Wedding Tourism and Innovation and Digitalization and Startups in Tourism Sector. Some of the key speakers were representatives from the industry stakeholders viz. FAITH, India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) as well as from international organizations like World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the State Governments. UNWTO discussed the development of a Tourism Investment Strategy (TIS) through the UNWTO framework on Organizational, Attractiveness, and Promotion Strategy which will provide a structured approach to developing a comprehensive investment strategy that takes into account factors such as the local business environment, the potential for growth in the tourism industry, and the availability of financing options.

State of Rajasthan made a comprehensive presentation on granting of industry status to the tourism and hospitality sector along with benefits accrued to the industry from the same.

State Government of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh showcased the investible projects in order to attract investment in tourism and hospitality sector. Union Territory of Lakshadweep Islands also shared successful case studies of public private partnership. In cognizance of the importance of the MICE sector as well as the Wedding Destination sector, a separate Session was kept on the two niche segments for deliberating on various policies, initiatives and strategies for development of MICE tourism and Wedding tourism in the Country. MICE Tourism brings higher revenue and year-round business for the destination overcoming seasonality. At the same time, MICE needs its own ecosystem before a destination can succeed as MICE destination. Wedding destinations are also fast emerging segment in India.

State of Telangana showcased how MICE tourism in the state of Telangana was being developed and promoted through the dedicated Hyderabad Convention Visitors Bureau.

During the event, the Ministry of Tourism also felicitated the States to recognize the best practices followed by them in six major categories under Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

The Government has recently announced to promote development of Tourism Sector in Mission Mode with active participation of the States and convergence of Government schemes and Public Private Partnership.

As an initiative of India`s G 20 Presidency, the Ministry of Tourism is organizing the 1st Global Tourism Investors’ Summit on May 17-19, 2023. Chintan Shivir will also provide opportunity to deliberate on the strategies and preparations for successful organization of 1st Global Tourism Investors’ Summit.

Ministry of Tourism, to organize the country’s first Global Tourism Investors’ Summit (GTIS) in New Delhi from 17-19 May 2023

Ministry of Tourism, to organize the country’s first Global Tourism Investors’ Summit (GTIS) in New Delhi from 17-19 May 2023

Ministry of Tourism organized a roundtable interaction with heads of mission in New Delhi on March 23 as a run up to first Global Tourism Investor’s Summit.

As an initiative under India’s G20 Presidency, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India shall be organizing the country’s first Global Tourism Investors’ Summit (GTIS) in New Delhi from 17-19 May 2023.

The Roundtable Interaction with Heads of Missions was chaired by Shri G.Kishan Reddy, Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER. While addressing the Heads of the Missions at Vigyan Bhawan on March 23, Shri Reddy remarked that guided by the Vision of  Prime Minister, tourism development and promotion is being undertaken in Mission Mode by the Government. He also stated that the current investment landscape of the country makes it an appropriate destination for investment in various sub sectors of the Indian tourism industry such as Hospitality & Lodging, Wellness tourism, Adventure tourism, Eco-Tourism, Rural Tourism and others. The Minister thanked all the participating Missions for attending the Roundtable Interaction and invited them to actively participate in the forthcoming Investors Summit and be a part of India`s growth  and development in the tourism sector.

Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism mentioned that in order to showcase investible opportunities to investors, till now 25 states have shared 350 plus investable projects with a total investment potential of around Rs. 64,000 Cr. (USD 7.7 billion) with the Ministry of Tourism. He stated that GTIS will also have several knowledge sessions focused on topics such as sustainability, digitalization, technology, insights, state-specific issues, and other sub-sectors of tourism. These sessions will facilitate business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-government (B2G) engagements.

Mr. K B Kachru, Member, CII National Committee on Tourism and Hospitality stated that GTIS is the right platform for all the tourism & hospitality industries operating outside India to come, witness the huge Indian market, and leverage the available investment opportunities.

 A total of 42 Foreign Missions participated on March 23, this Year’s Interaction. The G-20 Presidency will give India’s tourism sector an unparalleled opportunity to highlight India’s tourism offerings and share India’s tourism success stories on a global stage. India’s tourism market is set for a growth trajectory due to improved infrastructure, global connectivity, higher disposable incomes and the development of niche tourism products opening opportunities for foreign investors.

 Tourism sector has emerged as one of the fastest growing economic sectors and has a significant impact on trade, job creation, investment, infrastructure development and social inclusion. The objective of GTIS 2023, being organized in partnership with Invest India as the Investment Promotion and Facilitation partner and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as the Industry Partner, is to provide a common platform for interactions between global and domestic players and explore the investment opportunities in the Indian travel and hospitality sector.

India has a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products which includes cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports such as Golf and Polo, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions), ecotourism, film, rural and spiritual tourism and the Investor Summit will provide a two-way platform for showcasing of the unique offerings of India while the potential investors from foreign countries can identify the state-specific investment possibilities in the segment unique to that State. A web-site www.gtistourism.in has also been developed which will help in taking forward the public-private engagements beyond the event as well. All the G20 countries are expected to participate at the mega event.

100% FDI in the tourism and Hospitality sector is allowed under automatic route. In the last 8 years from 2014-2022, India has received FDI inflows worth USD 9.2 billion in the hotel and tourism sector whereas India had received FDI inflows worth USD 7.2 billion from 2000-2014.  States are also actively working on policies and providing incentives and concessions to attract private investments for Homestays, MICE infrastructure, Wellness tourism, Eco tourism etc. In line with the push towards streamlining of approvals, the Ministry of Tourism is integrating with National Single Window System (NSWS) platform and reduce the number of approvals required to setup a new project in Tourism & Hospitality sector. 7 States are actively working with NSWS to provide a unified interface to identify and apply for approvals required for setting up a hotel.

Shri G. Kishan Reddy chairs the meeting of Heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Administrations in Kashi (Varanasi ) on March 17

Shri G. Kishan Reddy chairs the meeting of Heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Administrations in Kashi (Varanasi ) on March 17

Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India chaired the Meeting of Heads of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Administrations held in ‘Kashi’ (Varanasi) on 17th March 2023.

The meeting was attended by H.E. Yerzhan Yerkinbayev, Vice Minister of Culture and Sports, Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Lu Ying Chuan, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Government of Republic of China, H.E. Samat Bekturovich Shatmanov, Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy, Government of Kyrgyz Republic and H.E. Azamov Ulugbek Axmatovich, First Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Government of Republic of Uzbekistan in person and through online mode by H.E. Vladimir Evgenyvich Ilyichev, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development, Federation of Russia, H.E. Muminzod Kamoliddin, Chairman of the Tourism Development Committee, Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and H.E. Aun Chaudhry, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Tourism and Sports, Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The meeting was also attended by Senior Officials from Departments of Tourism from the SCO member countries, Representatives from Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

The SCO Tourism Ministers finalised and approved the Joint Action Plan prepared for implementing the Agreement between the Governments of the SCO Member States on the Development of Cooperation in Tourism. The approved Joint Action Plan has the following prioritised components –

  • Promotion of the SCO tourism brand.
  • Promotion of the cultural heritage of the SCO Member States in tourism.
  • Sharing and Exchange of information and digital technologies in tourism.
  • Promotion of mutual cooperation in medical and health tourism.
  • Improving the quality of services.

As per the agreed Joint Action Plan, the member countries will undertake various activities such as SCO tourism exhibition, SCO Food Festival, Webinar & Seminar on tourism, conference and expert session on promotion and development of tourism in the region.

The meeting also adopted the Action Plan for “Year of Tourism Development in the SCO Space in 2023.” This document identified a list of activities and events to promote and showcase Tourism products of SCO member States.

A Joint Statement by the Head of the Tourism Administrations of the SCO member countries was also issued post the meeting. The Meeting of Heads of SCO Tourism Administrations was preceded by two Expert Working Group (EWG) meetings held under the Chairmanship of India. The 1st EWG meeting was held online on 31.01.2023 whereas the 2nd meeting of the EWG was held in physical mode on 14th -15th March 2023 in ‘Kashi’ (Varanasi).

‘Kashi’ has been declared as the First Tourism & Cultural Capital of SCO. This recognition will bring the city to a greater prominence in the global tourist map. The initiative will garner more attention by highlighting the spiritualism, mysticism, learning of Kashi which is also the cradle of Indian civilization. The next meeting of the SCO Heads of Tourism Administrations will be held in Kazakhstan in 2024.

Four bilateral meetings of India with China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan were also held on the sidelines of the Meeting of the Heads of SCO Tourism administrations.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai. The SCO currently comprises Eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan).

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses post-budget webinar on “Developing Tourism in Mission Mode’

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addresses post-budget webinar on “Developing Tourism in Mission Mode’

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, On March 3, addressed the post-budget webinar on “Developing Tourism in Mission Mode’, organized by Ministry of Tourism. This is a series of post-budget webinars being organized by the Government with an aim to brainstorm ideas for effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget-2023.

In his address, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi  said that tourism has always been a part of our social and cultural civilization. India`s tourism comprises of multiple  aspects and can be promoted as coastal tourism, wildlife tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, beach, mangrove, Himalayan, spiritual tourism and others. This year`s Budget prioritizes the development of tourist destination in a holistic manner and it aims to develop at least 50 tourism destinations which can then be promoted globally. He stated that with the development of tourist amenities at destinations, the tourism sector will definitely flourish. As an example, with the reconstruction of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple corrido, 7 crore tourists have visited the city. Kashi Vishwanath Dham and Kedarnath Dham are live models highlighting the fact that ease of travelling encourages increased tourist footfall. Further technological advances and digitalization with better infrastructure and cleanliness will help to boost tourism. Apps for tourists and digital connectivity can be modernized to make it accessible to all tourists. There has been an increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting India. With a proper strategy to promote India globally, the footfall is also bound to increase substantially. The Union Budget 2023-24 has allocated an amount of Rs 2400 crores to the Ministry of Tourism.

Prime Minister described Destination Weddings as an upcoming niche and emerging sector which had the potential for increasing tourism. The exchange of intercultural wedding rituals amongst the States can boost the sector further. Further events like global Conferences and sporting events has the potential to create stupendous level of infrastructure. He cited the example of the recent FIFA World Cup 2022, which benefitted Qatar`s economy massively.

The Post Budget Webinar had 6 breakout sessions deliberating on Destination Centric Approach for Tourism Development, Convergence – The Power of Collaboration, Strengthening Public Private Participation in Tourism Sector, Driving Innovation and Digitalization in Tourism Sector, Impacting lives at grass root level through Tourism and Cultural Heritage for Promotion of Tourism. The sessions saw active participation from different panelists from State, Central Ministries as well as Industry associations, District administrations, local bodies, experts in the field of tourism and hospitality, Invest India etc.

Speaking at the concluding session, Minister of Tourism, Shri G. Kishan Reddy thanked Prime Minister for showing the path for developing tourism sector in mission mode as well as all the panelists and speakers for their suggestion and ideas to overcome the challenges and move towards implementation of the budget announcements.  He stated that the biggest employment generating sector could very well be the tourism sector after textiles industry. Government of India, state governments, private stakeholders and civil society should closely work together to promote the tourism industry of the country. This sector is one of the sectors to generate maximum employment with the least capital investment, he said.

Secretary Tourism, Shri Arvind Singh on the occasion said that this year’s budget has given us new vision for tourism development and it focuses on promotion of tourism in mission mode, with active participation of states, convergence of government programmes and public-private partnerships. He also said that the budget proposes facilitation of tourism infrastructure and amenities in border villages under the Vibrant Village programmes and encourages setting up a Unity Mall in the state capital or most prominent tourism center or the financial capital for promotion and sale of their own ODOPs (one district, one product), GI products and other handicraft products, and for providing space for such products of all other States.

Shri Arvind Singh highlighted the fact that this year’s budget advocates a shift from department centric and scheme centric approach to a destination centric approach for planning, development and management of tourism

On the occasion Secretary Culture, Shri Govind Mohan said that the Ministry of Culture has the basic objective of preserving, disseminating and also promoting Indian Culture and Indian culture is a very rich repository of ideas, of places, of facets of our heritage, of performing arts, visual arts, monuments which are of immense interests to the tourists not only within India but also abroad.

He also informed that to begin with the Ministry of Culture will develop 5 big cultural spaces in India and going forward more spaces will be developed. These are the places where the tourists will be exposed to the best of Indian music, dance performances, book reading, painting competitions, quizzing competitions and other cultural activities in the integrated fashion.

Secretary Culture also highlighted the importance of technology and said that using AI, VR and other digital techniques the monuments can be developed as more interesting places for the younger generation. He also said that PPP’s have the potential creating value around these monuments and make them living example of wealth and beauty India offers.

A number of suggestions and ideations emanated from the deliberations, which are broadly as follows :-

  1. Planning of the destinations is crucial for the development of the destinations. The model on the lines of Ekta Nagar needs to be replicated.
  2. Destination Management is important which should be done taking into account the government agencies, private partners and local communities.
  3. It is important to device a mechanism which institutionalizes an enabling framework for promoting public private partnership in the tourism and hospitality sector.
  4. Expeditious role of national digital tourism mission which can provide a similar tourism interface between tourism stakeholders and services to the tourists. Convergence of skilling, capacity building and enterprises development at the destination for various cutting edge job opportunities in tourism and hospitality sectors.
  5. Promoting ease of doing business particularly for hospitality sector which is to take various promotions from multiple departments and agencies from the government. Visitor management system should be in place to manage over crowing at the destinations. There is a need to introduce courses of skilling of tour guides across the country and at all the destinations.
  6. India has innumerable heritage monuments which can attract domestic and foreign tourists provided they have quality tourist amenities and tourist experiences. Specific schemes should be introduced for such tourism centric development at these heritage sites.

Link of the webinar : https://youtube.com/live/cOYm5okQjp0?feature=share

Shri G. Kishan Reddy launches ‘Best Tourism Village Competition Portal’, Global Tourism Investor Summit 2023 Portal and Rural Tourism Portal in New Delhi

The Union Tourism Minister, Shri G. Kishan Reddy launched important initiatives on February 16 for tourism promotion in the country in the presence of MoS, Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt. He launched a unique initiative ‘Best Tourism Village Competition Portal’ and Rural Tourism Portal. The Global Tourism Investor Summit 2023 portal was also launched on the occasion.

The Ministry of Tourism is organizing 1st Global Tourism Investors’ Summit during 17-19 May 2023 to showcase investible projects and opportunities in tourism and hospitality sector in India to domestic and international investors. This is being organised in the backdrop of India’s G20 Presidency this year.

India is also observing ‘Visit India Year 2023’ on which a presentation was made. In order to develop tourism in mission mode and to accelerate India’s rise towards world leadership in tourism sector, the Ministry of Tourism has launched Visit India Year 2023. It is a unique, collective movement that invites the world to explore India during 2023 – a historical year of India’s G20 presidency as well as grand celebrations of India@75 Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

On the occasion, the Union Minister of Tourism, Shri G. Kishan Reddy also interacted with Media on several key achievements of the Ministry of Tourism during the last few years and future strategy for promoting tourism in the country.

Shri Reddy highlighted the whole of government approach followed by the Government in promoting and developing tourism sector in the country with focus on connectivity, civic infrastructure, tourist amenities and soft infrastructure.

He said that the country is taking a new flight of development with the mantra of “Vikas Bhi aur Virasat bhi” under the guidance of Prime Minister.  India is seeing a rapid revival of Foreign Tourist Arrivals post Covid  and India will soon become a major destination of the world with the Whole of Government approach policy.

The Union Minister further said that in 2014, 76.8 lakh foreign tourists had come to India and in 2019 this number stood at 1.09 crore before Covid. Despite tourism being the most affected sector due to Covid, but still in 2022 this number has increased to 61 lakh. Union Minister also said that one crore foreign tourists are expected to visit India this year.

Shri Kishan Reddy also spoke about the phenomenal spurt in domestic tourism. Giving the example of Jammu and Kashmir, he said that in 2022, J&K received a staggering 1.84 cr tourists breaking all previous records since Independence.

He informed that the Government, for the first time focussed on the development of spiritual destinations and PRASHAD (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual and Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme was launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2015. Till date, under PRASHAD scheme, a total of 45 projects for an amount of Rs.1586.10 Crore have been sanctioned.

He further informed that the Ministry of Tourism introduced Swadesh Darshan scheme in 2014-15 with focus on integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits in the country. 76 projects were sanctioned for an amount of Rs.5315.59 Crore under various themes such as eco, heritage, Himalayan, coastal theme etc. The Scheme has now been revamped as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 with the objective to develop sustainable and responsible tourist destinations in the country. The Ministry has selected 50 destinations for development in the country.

The Ministry of Tourism has also sanctioned 51 projects for an amount of Rs.737.89 Crore from 2014-15 to 2022-23 under Assistance to Central Agencies scheme for various projects such as sound and light show, development cruise terminals, border tourism projects such Attari Post Tourism Infrastructure, Tanot Post Tourism Infrastructure etc.

He informed that the Ministry of Tourism sanctioned 59 tourism routes under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN-3 to provide better connectivity to important tourist places including Iconic sites. Out of this, 51 are already being provided viability gap funding, he said.

The Ministry is also working with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to improve the road connectivity to various tourist destinations and setting up of wayside amenities.

Ministry of Tourism is also working with Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to promote cruise tourism both in oceans and inland waterways and has funded several cruise terminals projects. The Ministry is working with Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for promotion of wild life tourism and eco-tourism and has funded several projects under Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

The Ministry of Tourism has been working very closely with Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs for easing of the Visa Regime in the country to facilitate seamless travel. The Ministry strongly supported launch of e-Visa regime on 27.11.2014 and subsequently e-Tourist Visa. It was initially introduced for 46 countries, which provided a major boost to inbound tourism. At present, the e-Tourist visa facility is available for the nationals of 165 countries. Post pandemic, the Government also announced 500,000 free visas to the tourists. The Ministry of Tourism, in association with the Ministry of External Affairs, has appointed Tourism Officers in 20 countries in 2021, who will promote Indian tourism in those countries.

During 2019, there was reduction in tax on hotel rooms with tariffs of ₹1,001 to ₹7,500/night to 12%; those above ₹7,501 to 18% to increase India’s competitiveness as a tourism destination vis-à-vis other competing markets in the region.

He also highlighted that the Ministry has introduced several IT based reforms and electronic portals were set up for hotel classification and travel trade recognition. These has been further revamped into National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI), a technology driven system for providing services to Hospitality and travel industry.

The Minister further informed that the Government introduced International Tourism Mart (ITM) in 2014 with focus on promoting tourism in North Eastern region.

The Government has further formulated “a Coordinated Strategy for Revival of India as a Global Centre of Buddhist Culture and Tourism with Special Focus on Bodhgaya”. Inauguration of Kushinagar Airport will further boost Buddhist tourism in the country and the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with IRCTC organized a Buddhist Circuit FAM Tour and Conference from 4th – 8th October 2021 at Bodhgaya and Varanasi.

The Ministry of Tourism launched the Dekho Apna Desh initiative in January 2020. More than 150 webinars have been conducted so far.

Talking about skill development initiatives of the Ministry, the Minister informed that the Ministry of Tourism is imparting hospitality and tourism education to our youth through 21 CIHMs, 28 SIHMs, 12 FCIs and one IITTM with four regional centres apart from Indian Culinary Institute and National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology and Indian Institute of Skiing & Mountaineering (IISM) Gulmarg.

Keeping in view the role of youth in all spheres of nation building, the Ministry of Tourism has launched a program for Yuva Tourism Club across the country to engage youth with tourism. It will provide youth with better understanding of their culture, heritage and tourism by engaging in a variety of activities. It will also create awareness about the career opportunities in the field of tourism and hospitality.

Developing Tourism in Mission Mode

Under India’s G20 Presidency since 1st Dec 2022 and in the backdrop of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Government has resolved to develop tourism in mission mode with focus on convergence and public private partnership.

Under India’s G20 Presidency more than 200 meetings are being organized at 56 locations which will give unprecedented opportunity to these destinations to come on the tourism world map.

India will consolidate the gains from transformation in connectivity and infrastructure, growing economic power and tremendous improvement in the framework conditions for growth of tourism in the country to promote and develop tourism in mission mode during Amrit Kaal. It has set out a vision to make India one trillion USD tourism economy by 2047 with 100 million international visitors.

Ministry of Tourism has formulated Draft National Tourism Policy. The National Tourism Policy is part of the vision of New India on high trajectory of growth and prosperity. The new Policy is a holistic framework for sustainable and responsible growth of tourism sector in the country. The Policy aims at Improving framework conditions for tourism development in the country, supporting tourism industries, strengthening tourism support

Visit India Year campaign will highlight India’s commitment to sustainable & rural tourism. It will propel India as a seamless, modern and smart tourism destination.

President appreciates the Ministry of Tourism headed by Shri G. Kishan Reddy for boosting the spiritual and cultural tourism by developing pilgrimage sites

President appreciates the Ministry of Tourism headed by Shri G. Kishan Reddy for boosting the spiritual and cultural tourism by developing pilgrimage sites

The President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu, laid the foundation stone for the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples’ on December 28 at Sri Seetha Ramachandra Swamivari Devasthanam, Bhadrachalam in the Bhadradri Kothagudem District of the state of Telangana. She also laid the foundation stone for another project called ‘Development of Pilgrimage and Heritage Infrastructure of UNESCO World Heritage Site at Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple’ at Mulugu in the state. Both these projects have been approved under the PRASHAD (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Addressing the gathering, the President noted that the famous temples of Telangana are visited by lakhs of pilgrims and they form the major component of domestic and foreign tourists.  She said that tourism increases the livelihood opportunities and income of the people and also strengthens the local economy. The President appreciated the Ministry of Tourism for boosting the spiritual and cultural tourism by developing pilgrimage sites under the ‘PRASHAD’ scheme. Launched in the year 2014-15, the scheme aims to provide integrated infrastructure development to pilgrimage and heritage tourism destinations in the country.

The temple at Bhadrachalam, Sri Seetha Ramchandra Swamyvari Devasthanam, is said to be more than 350 years old and is closely associated with epic of Ramayana. It is believed that Lord Rama with his wife Goddess Sita and brother Lakshmana spent some part of their 14 years of exile at a village called Parnasala, a part of Dandakaranya forest near Bhadrachalam Temple. The project ‘Development of Pilgrimage Facilities at Bhadrachalam Group of Temples, Telangana’ has been approved by the Ministry of Tourism at an estimated cost of Rs 41.38 Crores.  The components sanctioned include infrastructural interventions like Pilgrimage Amenity Centre, Parking Area development, Kalyan Mandapam, Street-scaping, Souvenir shops, Rain and Shade Shelters and Railings, E-Buggies facilities for Senior citizens and Divyaangjans, overall civil infrastructure improvement, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, Food Court, Solar Based Lightings, CCTV Surveillance and Digital Interventions.

President Smt. Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone of the project PRASHAD at Bhadrachalam

Noting that tribal people, especially from the Koya community, gather to offer prayers to Sammakka Saralamma jaathra, the President said that such festivals and gatherings strengthen social harmony. “With these activities, our traditions continue to grow from generation to generation. It is imperative to keep our culture, traditions and customs alive”, she said. Appreciating the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, Telangana, for organising this Sammelan, she said that the Parishad is constantly striving for the overall development of the forest dwellers. The running of development centers organizing camps in tribal areas to take women forward in the direction of economic empowerment by Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad were commendable, said the President.

President of India inaugurates Sammakka Saralamma Janjati Pujari Sammelan at Bhadrachalam (L)

President Smt Droupadi Murmu with the tribal dancers (R )

The President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, later, virtually inaugurated two Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Mahabubabad districts of Telangana. The Eklavya Model Residential School would be in every block with more than 50% tribal population of Scheduled Tribes and at least 20,000 tribal persons.  The objective of EMRS is to provide quality upper Primary and Secondary and Senior Secondary level education (Class VI to XII) to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas.

For More details about EMRS:

https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/NoteonEMRSInaugurationinTelangana2812CF53.pdf

The event at Bhadrachalam was graced by Dr.(Smt.) Tamilisai Soundararajan Governor, Telangana, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture & DoNER, Shri Puvvada Ajay Kumar, Minister of Transport, Telangana and Smt. Maloth Kavitha, Member of Parliament, Mahabubabad.

The President subsequently travelled to the Ramappa Temple in Mulugu district. The Ramappa temple of Lord Shiva, a perfect example of architectural brilliance, was built in 1213 AD by the Kakatiya rulers and has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.  This heritage temple attracts over 10 Lakh visitors every year and has a high visibility amongst the tourist circuit.

The President Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the project ‘Development of Pilgrimage and Heritage Infrastructure of UNESCO World Heritage Site at Rudreshwara Temple (Ramappa)’. This scheme which was approved by the Ministry of Tourism headed by Shri G. Kishan Reddy with the estimate of Rs 62 Crores. It aims to make Ramappa Temple, a world class pilgrimage and tourist destination, by providing state-of-the-art facilities for visitors while maintaining essence of heritage and tranquility of the site.

The scheme has approved three sites for interventions namely:

(i) 10 Acre of Site (A) with Interpretation Centre, 4-D Movie Hall, Cloak rooms, Waiting halls, First -Aid Room, Food Court, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, Bus and Car Parking, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, Souvenir shops.

(ii) 27 Acres of Site (B) with Amphitheatre, Sculpture Park, Flower Garden, Road Developments, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities, E-Buggies facilities for Senior citizens and Divyaangjans

(iii) Ramappa Lakefront Development.
The event at the Ramappa temple was graced by Dr. (Smt.) Tamilisai Soundararajan Governor, Telangana,  Shri G. Kishan Reddy Union Minister of Tourism, Culture & DoNER,  Dr. V. Srinivas Goud  Minister for Prohibition & Excise, Sports & Youth Services, Tourism & Culture and Archaeology, Telangana, Smt Satayavati Rathod Minister for ST Welfare, Women and Child Welfare, Telangana, Shri Errabelli Dayakar Rao Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development & RWS,Telangana and Smt. Danasari Anasuya Seethakka, MLA, Mulugu.

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addresses the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme held in New Delhi on October 19

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addresses the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme held in New Delhi on October 19

Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla addressed the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme on October 19 in New Delhi. Union Minister for Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy and MoS Tourism Shri Shripad Yesso Naik also graced the event. The Ministry of Tourism in co-ordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) organized this conference. Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary (Tourism), Shri Balaji Srivastava, Director General (BPR&D, MHA), Joint Secretary (Foreigners division, MHA), State Tourism Secretaries of Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa & Meghalaya, DGPs/ IGPs of States/UTs and other senior officials of MHA, MoT, BPR&D were also present during the conference. The report on the ‘Tourist Police Scheme’ prepared by BPR&D was deliberated upon and BPR&D also shared the finding and recommendations of the report.

Referring to increasing digitization in the tourism sector, Shri Birla said that in the information era, tourists ordinarily get every information related to their travel through mobile. In this regard, Shri Birla emphasized on developing a mobile application which provides all relevant information related to the tourists to their destinations in multiple languages. He said that to ensure safe and comfortable travel, this app should provide updated and complete information about hotels, taxis, guides, etc., among other facilities, and facilitate police assistance whenever needed. Shri Birla stressed on the need for quick police action in cases of crimes against tourists, saying that such steps increase the confidence of tourists and create a good environment. Shri Birla welcomed the establishment of tourism police by several State Governments from the point of view of tourism security and advised all the States and the Central Government to share best practices among themselves.

Regarding giving better security to the tourists, Shri Birla said that it is necessary to give adequate training to the tourist police for effective security and these police personnel should have knowledge of many languages and use of new technology. Referring to the hosting of the upcoming G20 summit by India, Shri Birla said that the Heads of State, leaders, and officials of the G20 countries will visit major tourist destinations of the country. This event will give us an opportunity to improve security and policing in popular tourist areas. Shri Birla opined that the country where the law and order are better, tourist inflow improves. Therefore, it is necessary to train the police in this regard. Emphasizing on the need for learning languages by tourist police, Shri Birla said that language is a medium to connect us with culture and country and therefore all tourist places should have multilingual tourist helpline facilities, which can provide information to tourists in their language. Simultaneously, tourist guides, especially female guides, should be multilingual.

During his address, Shri G Kishan Reddy said that India always has something for every kind of traveler, ranging from lofty mountains to fast flowing rivers, rolling valleys and sand-dunes. India offers a myriad of fascinating places of interest, natural beauty, and vibrant culture, which are globally unparalleled.  As we celebrate the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, in the past 75 years India has become synonymous with tourism, spirituality, transformation, culture, and diversity. It is a matter of great pride to celebrate record beating expansion, leading India to become the 5th largest economy in the world.

Union Minister added that the government has opted a 360-degree approach to encourage the Tourism sector. Union Minister said that our focus is on safe, responsible, and sustainable tourism which are the thrust areas of the upcoming National Tourism Policy2022. The Union Minister further said that unscrupulous elements are active mostly at hotels, at entry-exit points of airports, railway stations and bus terminals. He strongly condemned the incidents of theft fraud incidents at some of the tourist places and asked the police administration to deal with them forcefully. We should have a policy of zero tolerance for incidents threating safety and security of tourists, he said. Shri Reddy added that such incidents tarnish the image of our country. So, to ward off all these issues, there is an urgent need to put in place proper systems. He added that police should be trained to secure active participation of Civil Societies, and NGOs in tourists places.

Shri Reddy said that now as the presidency of G20 shall also be with India from December 2022 for a period of One-year, it may be taken as a great opportunity for promotion of India Tourism products. We can showcase India to them and give them best experiences so that they may work as Ambassadors for the Indian Tourism products in their respective countries.

Shri Shripad Yesso Naik highlighted that Tourism sector contributes around 5.02% of India’s GDP and has supported around 14.87% of total direct & in-direct employment during the Financial Year 2018-19 and contributed Foreign Exchange Earnings of Rs. 2.12 lakh crore (USD 30 billion) in Indian Economy during the year 2019. Tourism in India has contributed significantly to making India the 5th largest economy in the world, though we are yet to optimize its full potential. Shri Naik added that safety and security is the first and foremost concern for any tourist, whether International or Domestic. Security related issues around the globe impact and affect tourism industry on local as well as global level. For any global tourist, India is not just to place to see or visit, but a destination to experience and get connected with people, culture, cuisine, and many more. For enriching the experience of the tourists visiting India, we need to be more focused about the safety & Security related aspects in & around the tourist destinations and across India, in general.

Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh in his concluding remarks said that India’s global tourism indices will go up by improving the safety and security aspects of tourism and would go a long way in making India one of the favorable destinations. He added that this conference is another step to take measures to improve the confidence of travelers and implementation of this kind of uniform Tourist Police Scheme in the states and UTs, will result in safer tourism.

The objective of the National Conference on Tourist Police Scheme was to bring Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Police Research & Development, and State Govts/ UT Administration on the same platform, so that they may work together in close coordination with the State/UT Police department and sensitize them about the specific requirements of the foreign & domestic tourists for effective implementation of Uniform Tourist Police Scheme at pan-India level. This will change the safety & security-related perception of India at global level and will help in making India a must-visit destination around the globe.

India’s Tourism sector is moving towards creative, responsible, and inclusive growth: Shri G. Kishan Reddy

India’s Tourism sector is moving towards creative, responsible, and inclusive growth: Shri G. Kishan Reddy

Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar presented the National Tourism Awards to awardees on September-27 at the programme organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to mark the World Tourism Day, 2022. Union Minister of Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy and MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt also graced the ceremony. Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh and other senior officers of the Ministry were also present on this occasion. A total of 81 awards were given away this year highlighting the achievements of the industry in 2018-19. Voice President also released India Tourism Statistics 2022, New Incredible India Global Promotional Films, and “GoBeyond:75 Experiences of North India” e-book on this occasion.

During his keynote address, Voice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar described India as “heaven for tourism” and asked the Indians to explore domestic tourist destinations first before looking at international travel. Referring to Bharat’s long civilizational history and rich cultural heritage, he underlined that most of the tourist places in the country have a deep connect with our history, folk arts and ancient texts.

Vice President termed tourism a key driver of economic growth and employment generation in the country. Referring to multiple dimensions to the tourism, the Vice President stressed the need for fully leveraging the India’s immense potential in the field of medical tourism as well as the growing global interest in our ancient practices of healing such as Ayurveda and Yoga.

Appreciating the Government’s efforts for the development of the tourism sector in the country, Shri Dhankhar said that the development of tourism infrastructure has been accompanied with innovative initiatives such as Dekho Apna Desh and Utsav Portal.

Speaking on the occasion Shri G. Kishan Reddy said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India’s Tourism sector is moving towards creative, responsible, and inclusive growth. Ministry of Tourism is working with 360-degree perspective and whole of government approach for the development of tourism sector. Along with Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and Ministry of Commerce are also working for the development of this sector, which will help in establishing better synergy and convergence leading to sustainable and world-class infrastructure development.

Shri Reddy further highlighted that India plans to position itself as a major tourism destination during its presidency of G20 for 2023. During the presidency we aim to showcase India as a ‘must visit’ destination at a global level. 3600 railway coaches have been allocated for tourism purpose for Circuit specific trains. Such trains have already started for Ramayana and Buddhist Circuits while the one for Krishna Circuit will start soon. Our aim is to make India one of the most prominent destinations of the world. Union Minister added that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is working as brand ambassador of Indian tourism.

MoS Tourism Shri Ajay Bhatt congratulated all the award winners and said that the Ministry of Tourism has prepared a draft National Tourism Policy 2022 as part of the vision of New India on high trajectory of growth and prosperity. The Policy aims at Improving framework conditions for tourism development in the country, supporting tourism industries, strengthening tourism support functions, and developing tourism sub-sectors.

During his welcome speech Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said that this kind of award motivates the travel and tourism sector. Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s largest economic sectors, creating export and prosperity around the world. Indian Tourism sector has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth for Indian economy post covid, he said.

As India celebrates 75 years of independence, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, commences its Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) iconic week on 27th September 2022 by recognizing the efforts of industry stakeholders and conferring the National Tourism Awards. Due to Covid, the Awards could not be organised during the last 2 years.

The National Tourism Awards are presented to various segments of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, including State Governments in recognition of their performance in their respective fields and also to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promote tourism. These Awards have over the years emerged as a prestigious recognition of achievements in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors.

Kindly click for the details of awardees

Kindly click for the India Tourism Statistics 2022

National Flag To be installed at tourist places.: Shri G Kishan Reddy

National Flag To be installed at tourist places.: Shri G Kishan Reddy

The three days National Conference of State Tourism Ministers at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh concluded on September 20 in the presence of Union Tourism Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy. Tourism Ministers of 12 States including Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Haryana, Mizoram, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh attended the conference.

During concluding remarks, Shri G Kishan Reddy thanked all the State delegates and sector representatives for their valuable suggestions. Shri Reddy urged that all states share and adopt best practices to boost the tourism sector. States must organize such conferences at the state level with district officers of different departments and stakeholders to improve and promote tourism destinations. Shri Reddy emphasized on the importance of Yuva Tourism Clubs and said these clubs can become a game changer for the sector.

Shri Reddy also informed that National Flag will be installed at tourist places. He also appealed to the states and stakeholders to install flags at all hotels and tourist places. The Union Minister said that such conferences will be organized from time to time to provide an opportunity to learn from one another and hoped that this will yield desired results very soon.

Talking about the outcome of the conference, Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said India will play a pivotal role in contributing towards global tourism recovery driven mainly through domestic tourism. All the major tourism indices have started showing signs of recovery towards the pre-pandemic levels such as domestic air passenger traffic, hotel occupancy, and tourist footfalls. The National Tourism Policy has been drafted with a holistic vision and strategy to revive India’s Tourism and targets to achieve USD 1 Trillion by the sector in 2047. Against this backdrop, the Ministry is also paving the way for developing responsible and sustainable tourism destinations. The Government of India will continue to support MSMEs in tourism and capitalize on the employment generation potential in the sector. Various initiatives under the ongoing schemes of the Ministry of Tourism are planned to be strengthened to ensure a complete recovery from the disruption caused to the tourism economy due to the pandemic.

Shri Arvind further said that India plans to position itself as a major tourism destination during its presidency of G20 for 2023. We plan to ensure due rigor, and dedication and showcase our cultural richness while welcoming the world to our nation. We plan to bring in necessary interventions including Visa Reforms, Ease of Travel, traveler-friendly Immigration Facilities at Airports, and openness to international travel, and these major topics were deliberated during the two-day meet.

Informing about the goals for the India Tourism Sector for 2024 he said that we will strive to recover to pre-pandemic level by mid-2024. The country is estimated to achieve 50 Bn USD GDP contribution from Tourism, 30 Bn USD in Foreign Exchange Earnings, and 15 Mn foreign arrivals by 2024.

He further said that India is estimated to grow at 7-9% CAGR in the coming decade and 250 Bn USD GDP contribution from Tourism, 137 Mn jobs in the Tourism sector, 56 Bn USD in Foreign Exchange Earnings, and 25 million foreign arrivals are expected to be achieved by 2030. We commit to deliver plans aligned with these goals and commitments to ensure positioning of India as one of the leaders in the tourism sector by 2047.

On the last day of conference sessions on Role of digital technology for the marketing and promotion of tourism destinations, the Emerging importance of homestays in the Indian hospitality sector, Ayurveda, Wellness, and Medical Value travel, and lastly on Forest and wildlife tourism were organized.  Secretary Electronics and Information Technology, GoI Shri Alkesh Sharma, Secretary Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GoI Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh Kant, Member NITI Aayog Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, Additional Secretary Health & Family Welfare Shri Lav Agarwal, Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh, DG Tourism Shri G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, and other senior officers of the Ministries also graced the event.