Ministry of Tourism Infotoday - Page 2 of 2

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

September 27, 2022

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

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Ministry of Tourism launches the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Traveller campaign

June 10, 2022

Sustainable and responsible tourism practices will be implemented in various projects and initiatives through Swadesh Darshan 2.0: Shri Arvind Singh

Ministry of Tourism, in partnership with the United Environment Program (UNEP) and Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI) organized National Summit on Developing Sustainable & Responsible Tourist Destinations today in New Delhi. On this occasion, the Ministry of Tourism launched the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Traveller Campaign.

The Strategy document has identified the strategic pillars for the development of sustainable tourism like Promoting Environmental Sustainability, Protecting Biodiversity, Promoting Economic Sustainability, Promoting Socio-Cultural Sustainability, the Scheme for Certification of Sustainable Tourism, IEC, and Capacity Building and Governance.

Speaking on the occasion Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said that Tourism and Environment share a Special Relationship. Their interaction with each other is a two-way process. On the one hand, environmental resources constitute one of the basic ingredients of tourism. The natural and manmade setting form the tourism products which the tourist enjoys lives and relax. On the other hand, the close and direct relationship between visitors, host communities, and the local environment creates a sensitive situation, whereby tourism can be both very damaging and also very positive for sustainable development. The COVID-19 pandemic has further forced the tourism sector to shift its focus to resiliency, sustainability, and interconnectedness among diverse stakeholders in the sector.

Shri Arvind Singh further said that we need to make use of cleaner fuels. Prime Minister has also announced that India will increase its capacity of non-fossil energy capacity to 500 GW and meet 50 percent of its energy requirements through renewable energy by 2030. “State tourism policies should recognise sustainability principles and the Sustainable Development Goals in their vision and strategic direction for tourism. With the vision to create a sustainable future for tourism, the Ministry of Tourism has also taken various steps in this direction”, he added.

Shri Arvind said that the Ministry of Tourism with the objective to provide experience to the tourists launched Swadesh Darshan Scheme and has now sanctioned 76 Projects. With the learnings of this scheme, we have now revamped the Swadesh Darshan Scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0. “The idea of Swadesh Darshan 2.0 is to undertake holistic development with the vision to develop Sustainable and Responsible Tourist Destinations. While formulating the guidelines for SD 2.0 we have kept various elements in mind in order to undertake destination development in a sustainable and responsible manner. Through the Swadesh Darshan, 2.0 sustainable and responsible tourism practices will be implemented in various projects and initiatives. The Scheme will encourage the adoption of principles of sustainable tourism including environmental, socio-cultural and economic sustainability”, he added.

Apart from Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Shombi Sharp, Head of UN in India, and Shri Rakesh Mathur, President, RTSOI, various eminent Speakers working in the field of Sustainable Tourism & Responsible Travel and from State Governments addressed the participants in different sessions during the One Day National Summit. The Summit was attended by senior officers of different Central Ministries, State Governments/UT Administrations, and various Tourism & Hospitality Industry Associations.

A Pledge was also administered by Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism to the participants to become responsible travelers and be advocates of responsible tourism.

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Ministry of Tourism under its “Incredible India” brand line participates at the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai -2022 India Pavilion showcases India as a “365 Days Destination”

May 9, 2022

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India under its“Incredible India” brand line is participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai -2022 being held from 9th to 12th May 2022 showcasing India’s rich & diversified tourism potential and providing a platform to the tourism stakeholders to showcase the various tourism destinations and products including Niche products. Also, it is aimed to promote India as a ‘Must See, Must Visit’ destination.

During the Mart, the India Pavilion is showcasing India as a “365 Days Destination” a year-round multi-faceted tourist destination such as Culture, Adventure, Cruise, Golf, MICE, luxury, wildlife, wellness, medical tourism, etc. India Reopening as a theme has been amplified during the mart with the ‘Namaste Campaign’ to welcome International Travellers showcasing must-visit destinations of India.

The India Pavilion was inaugurated in the august presence of Mr. Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Government of Uttarakhand, Ms. RupinderBrar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Dr. Aman Puri H.E. Consul General of India to Dubai, Mr. Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism & MD, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and Mr. Kitto Zhimomi, Commissioner &Secretary, Government of Nagaland.

Around 18 Participants from India representing the State Tourism Government of Kerala, Nagaland, and Tour Operators, Travel Agents, and Hoteliers/Resorts, will be present in the India Pavilion showcasing the diverse tourism products and services. Apart from this, the State governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka are also showcasing the tourism potential that States have to offer.

The Indian tourism outlook is certainly very promising with an upward trend in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) barring the period of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020 when international travel was suspended in the majority of parts of the world. As the situation is getting slowly & steadily normalized and international travel has resumed, India is seeing a positive response from most of the source markets. The Gulf and the Middle East region is one of the most important markets for India. The availability of e-Visa facilities in three different segments that is tourist, business & medical segment makes it far more convenient for visitors to travel to India. Also, the Ministry of Tourism has been undertaking focused campaigns to target the Indian Diaspora in line with the appeal of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of ‘ChaloIndia’ thereby urging the Indian Diaspora to inspire at least five of their non-Indian friends every year to visit India, calling them ‘Rashtradoot’.

India is an experiential destination with its kaleidoscope of ancient culture and heritage, ancient systems of healing like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Naturopathy, natural beauty including 70% of the Himalayas and over 7500 km long coastline, rich flora and fauna, world-class medical facilities and many other aspects make India the favored destination for the discerning traveler. The enchanting backwaters, hill stations, and landscapes make India a beautiful country.

India’s rich and diverse natural, cultural, and religious heritage provides a unique opportunity for tourism, ranging from the architecture of palaces, forts, and temples, to the grandeur of its sculptures, the beauty of its paintings, and scenic landscapes all offering an unparalleled experience. The Indian Himalayas is a complete destination in themselves and spans across six states of India namely Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and the hill regions of West Bengal.

Theme-based schemes for the integrated development of circuits for the improvement of infrastructure in the country have been launched by the Ministry of Tourism to enable tourists to experience the destination fully. The Ministry of Tourism has also taken the initiative of identifying, diversifying, developing, and promoting nascent/upcoming niche tourism products. These have resulted in the development of unique products like Rural, Adventure, Eco, Wellness, Golf, MICE, Medical, and Cruise Tourism.

One of the regions in focus is the North-Eastern region of India which comprises the eight States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura. Promotion of tourism of the North Eastern States of India with its rich and diverse tourism products, variety of flora and fauna, and also home to the unique Asian one-horned Rhino, is being given special emphasis. This area is also becoming popular with tourists for River Cruises. In order to showcase the tourism potential of the region in domestic and key international markets, the Ministry of Tourism in association with the North-Eastern States organizes the International Tourism Mart (ITM) annually in one of the North-Eastern States.

India has emerged as a Destination for Medical / Wellness Travel in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The percentage of Foreign Tourist Arrivals visiting India for Medical Treatment has been increasing over the years and growing rapidly. India is poised to become a hub for medical tourism because of several factors viz. world-class hospitals with the latest technology; highly skilled Indian physicians and surgeons; cost-effective treatment; excellent quality of care and nursing; less waiting time for availing of medical services; traditional healthcare therapies like Ayurveda & Yoga combined with allopathic treatment providing a holistic wellness destination.

Safety and Security of the tourists being one of the prime concerns, the Ministry of Tourism has a 24×7 Toll-Free Multi-Lingual Tourist Helpline in a total of 12 languages besides Hindi & English, 10 international languages namely, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. This helpline is available on the existing Toll-Free Number 1800111363 or on a short code 1363 for dialing in India and offers assistance to callers during times of distress while traveling in India and if need be alert the concerned authorities.

The Ministry of Tourism’s Official Website (www.incredibleindia.org) showcases India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, such as spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness, and more. This website is also available in Hindi and leading international languages.

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Shri G. Kishan Reddy launches the Utsav Portal at the inaugural day of Amrit Samagam Conference

April 12, 2022

Union Minister for Tourism, Culture, and DONER Shri G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the 2 days Conference of Amrit Samagam being held from 12th – 13th April in New Delhi. During the inaugural day of the 2 days Amrit Samagam Conference, Shri G. Kishan Reddy also launched the Utsav Portal. Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh, DG Tourism Shri G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, ADG Tourism Smt. Rupinder Brar and other dignitaries of the Ministry of Tourism were also present on this occasion.

The Utsav Portal website, a digital initiative launched by the Ministry of Tourism, aims to showcase all the events, festivals, and live darshans across India to promote different regions of the country as popular tourist destinations worldwide. The objective is to showcase various elements, dates, and details of the events and festivals of India on a global platform and increase tourism awareness, attractions, and opportunities by providing tourists with contextual digital experiences in the form of visually appealing photographs and stills from the events. Additionally, the objective is also to let the devotees and travelers experience and view the sights of some of the well-known religious divine shrines in India in the form of Live Darshan.

The Utsav portal will also have the official social media links, official websites, brochures, contact details of the organizing committee, and the details of how to reach the destination through the air, rail, and roadways conveniently, thus establishing a better contact with the tourists and aiding the visitors in planning their trip to these destinations.

The immersive experience-based content is provisioned on the website under various categories like Art & Culture, Spiritual, Music, Seasonal, Culinary, Dance, Sports & Adventure, Harvest, and Expo & Exhibitions. There is a section that lists the major festivals celebrated in India to ensure that international and domestic travelers can plan their trips for these festivals well in advance. The website aims at showcasing the beauty of India, the land of festivals, in a global arena by aiding travelers with compelling, relevant, and contextualized digital experiences enhancing tourism awareness, attraction, and multiplying the travelling opportunities. The website now comprises a plethora of information on more than 80 events, festivals, and live darshans from 28 States and 9 UTs along with detailed attractions. The website will be dynamic and constantly evolving with additional new information about all the upcoming events, festivals, and exhibitions, periodically.

The Ministry had also released a digital Calendar on the theme of dedicated tourist sites on AKAM on the occasion of National Tourism Day on 25th January.

During the Conference, Additional Director General, Ms. Rupinder Brar, while highlighting the events which have been undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism under Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav, also stated that a convergence of activities with the State Governments and Union Territories was necessary to create an impactful and wider outreach for spreading the core message of Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav. The Ministry of Tourism showcased all activities done across India under AKAM since 12th March 2021. It also shared the proposed 75 locations across India where events shall be held in the coming months. The thrust will be on Jan Bhagidari. The State Governments have also been urged to select their own 75 locations in addition to the Ministry`s India @ 75.

In order to augment the infrastructure development, the Ministry has sanctioned 03 projects during 2021-22 for a total amount of Rs 112.25 crore, with the objective of integrated development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destinations, under the PRASHAD Scheme. The thrust of the Ministry shall be to provide basic amenities at many more religious places so that pilgrims are benefited. This will allow many more locations to be covered.

The Ministry has also recently revamped its Swadesh Darshan Scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0. Under the revamped Scheme, a destination and tourist-centric approach is envisaged in order to develop responsible and sustainable destinations.

In order to mark the celebration of International Day of Yoga 2022, a list of 75 locations has been shared with the State Governments. The inclusion of students from schools/colleges / Universities / Institutes in the overall celebrations would be the highlight to ensure maximum participation.

During the event, Additional Secretary, Shri Rakesh Verma, also presented the draft National Tourism Policy, which focuses on digital interventions and the development of sustainable and Green Tourism practices.

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National Tourism Day 25th January 2022

January 25, 2022

The Ministry of Tourism celebrated the National Tourism Day by holding a two-hour program on a virtual platform today on the 25^thof January 2022 under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebration, marking the 75 years of India’s independence. The theme of this year’s celebration is Rural and Community Centric Tourism. Rural Tourism provides valuable commercial and employment opportunities for communities that are confronted with the growing challenge of offering viable livelihoods for their local populations.

The program was presided by Hon`ble Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoER, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, who was the Chief Guest for the event. The program was started with the opening remarks by Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and followed by the addresses of Shri Upendra Prasad Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Smt. Leena Nandan, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri G. Ashok Kumar, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Shri Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group and Col. Manoj Keshwar, Atulya Ganga Parikrama.

During the program, Hon`ble Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoNER, Shri G. Kishan Reddy launched the digital booklet 75 incredible sites to visit in India and Incredible India 2022 digital calendar by the Ministry of Tourism dedicated to tourism sites. Hon’ble Minister in his address emphasised on aggressive promotion of varied tourism products that India has to offer to the world. Tourism is one of the largest employments generating sector and it plays a vital role in direct and indirect employment. He also discussed the importance of domestic tourism and plans to start of Tourism Clubs to create more awareness among the students and youth of our country. Further he stressed on the promotion of tourism with special focus North-Eastern region and to tap the potentiality of the region. Hon’ble Minister shared his views on how to increase India’s share in global tourism market. Also appeal to connect with corporate sector under Adopt a Heritage project under corporate social responsibility. He spoke to utilise the competency of Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Railways etc. and how to empower the tourism in the country.

In the opening remarks Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism spoke about how in India, the Tourism sector has emerged as one of the key drivers of economic growth. Tourism promotes national integration and makes citizens aware of the beauty and rich cultural heritage of our great nation. It also promotes inter-regional relationships and encourages cultural pursuits and providing support to local handicrafts. We have seen how the textile products of Pochampally and art forms of Raghurajpur have been a major tourism attraction both for domestic and international tourists. It is essential that such models are replicated in other parts of India to bring economic benefits from tourism to local communities to generate employment and bridge the cultural divide between urban and rural spaces.

Shri Upendra Prasad Singh, Secretary Ministry of Textiles, GOI highlighted the importance of Indian handloom and handicrafts that represents the rich culture and heritage of our country. He also spoke about how handloom & handicrafts and tourism goes together and how it helps to enrich the travel experiences.

Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary Ministry of Culture, GOI spoke about the interconnection between culture and tourism. India is home to greatest philosophies, temple structures, world heritage sites arts & crafts. India is a huge cultural repository and the facets of culture are many fold and unparalleled and we need to integrate them.

Smt. Leena Nandan Secretary Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change GOI emphasised on the importance of eco-tourism. She also shared her views on how we can tap the potentiality and growth of tourism in the country in a responsible and sustainable manner. To strengthen the livelihood opportunities of the communities & stakeholders who are directly or indirectly connected with the biodiversity of the country including tiger reserves, sanctuaries, marine zones etc.

Shri G. Ashok Kumar, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga spoke about the project launched for the holistic rejuvenation, restoration, conservation of Ganga Basin. Ensure effective abatement of pollution and rejuvenation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach to promote inter-sectoral co-ordination for comprehensive planning and management and to maintain minimum ecological flows in the river Ganga with the aim of ensuring water quality and environmentally sustainable development.

Shri Anand Mahindra, Chairman Mahindra Group shared his views on tourism in India and importance of domestic tourism for national integration. India’s rich diversity and heritage can cater to different segments of tourists from modest budget traveller to an unmatched luxury experience.

Col. Manoj Keshwar, Atulya Ganga Parikrama shared his experience of Ganga Parikrama an initiative with a vision of Rejuvenation & restoration of Indian rivers and their eco-system. The Ganga Parikrama by foot started from prayagraj to Gangasagar and upto Gangotri and back to Prayagraj, a journey of 190 days, around 5530 kms touching various cities and villages on the way and millions of people on the way.

For active Janbhagidari and as an outreach program for the citizens, Ministry of Tourism has collaborated with MyGov and organised activities namely, National Tourism Day-Poster Design Contest, National Tourism Day- Caller Tune Contest, National Tourism Day – Picture Quiz and a write-up contest on ‘Unseen India’ – 75 Lesser-Known sites in India. These activities are open to everyone across India and the winners will be awarded exciting prizes.

The Government announced various fiscal and relief measures to benefit the Tourism Industry like providing financial support to more than 11,000 registered Tourist Guides & Travel and Tourism Stakeholders as well as issuing 5 Lakh free Tourist Visas. India has reached the historic milestone of administering 150 crore vaccine doses to citizens and started 2022 on a high note by expanding the ambit to include children in the 15-17 age bracket.

Tourism in the last two years has been affected world over including India due to the ongoing pandemic. In line with the Prime Minister`s call asking every citizen to visit at least 15 destinations by the year 2022 to promote domestic tourism, National Tourism Day celebrations will help to foster the awareness in country on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value. A gradual increase in the domestic tourism will help for recovery and growth in many folds of the society

The Government is taking cognizance of Rural Tourism – one of the areas in which India can excel. Recently, Pochampally village in Telangana was selected as one of the best Tourism Villages in the world by the United Nations World Tourism Organization for its crafts, reforms, and historical significance out of the three nominations namely Ladhpura Khas in Madhya Pradesh, Kongthong village in Meghalaya, and Pochampally village in Telangana, submitted by the Ministry of Tourism. The Ministry of Tourism proposes to organize a physical event at Pochampally, after the pandemic situation improves. Rural tourism can help to disperse tourism in highly populated countries; this directs tourists away from some of the more well-known, busy areas and provides work opportunities and economic activity in alternative areas.

The field offices of the Ministry of Tourism across India and conducted various activities to mark the occasion of National Tourism Day such as webinars, quiz competitions, elocution competition, Heritage Walk Incredible India branding at the airports, on the taxies. Institute of Hotel Management (IHMs), Food Crafts Institutes (FCI) and Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management (IITTM) also organised various activities such as Cultural Programmes, Rural Food Ethnic cuisine competition, Nukkd Natak etc.

Today’s The two hour programme YouTube link :

https://youtube.com/c/incredibleindia

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The Ministry of Tourism is organising three-day International Tourism Mart (ITM) at Kohima, Nagaland from tomorrow

November 26, 2021

Key Highlights

International Tourism Mart will highlight the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets
The delegation will include students from across the country as part of a study tour under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

Presentation by State Governments and discussions on several aspects of tourism and unique tourism products in the North East Region and their potential will also be part of the event.

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, is organising the annual event, “International Tourism Mart” (ITM) at Kohima, Nagaland from 27 November to 29 November 2021 with the objective of highlighting the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio, Minister of State for Tourism & Defence, GoI, Shri Ajay Bhatt and MLA & Advisor Tourism, Government of Nagaland Shri. H Khehovi Yeputhomi will jointly inaugurate the event. Other dignitaries from Central Ministries and the North Eastern States will also be present on the occasion. This event is in continuation to the Tourism & Culture Ministers’ Conference of North Eastern Region held during September 2021 in the state of Assam, which was an effort to deliberate and discuss the way forward for tourism in the North-Eastern region.

This edition of the Mart will put the spotlight on “Domestic Tourism”. Besides deliberations on the promotion of tourism in the North East Region in general, the Mart will also give a platform for promoting cultural ties, providing enhanced connectivity to the States of North Eastern Region with other parts of the country.

The three-day event will be attended by over 300 delegates including government officials, industry stakeholders, and local participants. The event is also going to be attended by the High Commissioner, Brunei Darussalam, High Commissioner, Malaysia, Ambassador Extra Ordinary, Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Ambassador, The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, amongst others attending dignitaries and diplomats. Other high-ranking officials from participating Ministries/Government bodies are also going to be part of the event. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, the delegation also includes students from across the country who, as part of a study tour, will be interacting with local students and immersing themselves in the region’s rich heritage and culture.

The event has been planned and scheduled to facilitate interaction between buyers, sellers, media, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Around 50 buyers from different regions of the country will be participating in the Mart and will engage in one-on-one meetings with 75 sellers from the North East Region. This will enable the tourism product suppliers from the region to reach out to domestic buyers, to promote tourism. Domestic Buyers will be engaging in business-to-business meetings with sellers from the North Eastern Region as well.

In addition to these, the event also includes presentations by state governments on their tourism potential and a vibrant exhibition by State Tourism Departments from the North-Eastern region to showcase the tourism products of the respective participating states. Various engaging discussions on several aspects of tourism and unique tourism products in the North East Region and their potential are also a part of the event.

To further enrich the experience of the participants, the Ministry has organised a visit to Kisama Heritage Village, Kisama War Museum and Morungs, Khonoma Village, and Kohima World War II War Cemetery. The visiting delegation will be familiarised with the local community, local art and culture, and the rich heritage of Nagaland.

The International Tourism Marts are organised in the North Eastern States on a rotation basis. Nagaland is hosting this Mart for the first time. The earlier editions of this mart have been held in Guwahati (Assam), Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh), Shillong (Meghalaya), Gangtok (Sikkim), Agartala (Tripura), and Imphal (Manipur).

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Shri Prahlad Singh Patel addresses webinar ‘India’s Heritage: Powering Tourism’ on occasion of World Heritage Day 2021

September 22, 2015

The Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (I/C), Shri Prahlad Singh Patel addressed a webinar ‘India’s Heritage: Powering Tourism’ organized by Ministry of Tourism on the occasion of World Heritage Day 2021 today. He also inaugurated the Online Exhibition on Ramayana, the Epic by Maharishi Valmiki which is the very first online exhibition on the Ramayana. The online exhibition showcases forty nine (49) miniature paintings collections of National Museum, New Delhi from different art schools of India, dating from the 17th through the 19th century.

The weblink for the online exhibition is https://nmvirtual.in/Virtual_Tour/Ramayan/

During his address, Shri Patel said that World Heritage Day is being celebrated since the last 39 years only while our heritage is thousands years old. The Minister explained that India has a unique heritage of temples, dance, music, shastras which can’t be found anywhere in the world and protecting these invaluable inheritances for future generations is a collective responsibility and requires a renewed focus on community participation and awareness in addition to the regulatory and administrative framework. Sh Prahlad Singh Patel said that we now need to deliberate and work seriously in the field of heritage. It is the responsibility of the younger generation to carry forward the task of promoting the vast heritage of the country with proper facts and timelines. This can be done by them successfully since they are adept at technology and have more resources which provide invaluable tools with the help of which they can trace history and events more accurately, the Minister elaborated. This should be taken up by them as a challenge, he said.

Shri Patel added that our heritage sites and monuments have a close association with diverse artistic traditions and cultures. We have several ancient sites and temples but they have not received their due at the global platform which they deserve. The Minister said that it is essential to bring together our pool of good quality human resource comprising of conservationists, archaeologists and historians who can throw proper light on the vast heritage and take it on to the world platform in a professional manner. It is also important to keep building this pool of essential human resources simultaneously, the Minister urged.

Shri Patel said that we are trying to boost tourism and our culture and heritage are the major attractions for the tourists. Towards this end, we must have long term plans which will include systematic development of our culture and heritage and showcasing it at appropriate forums to get concrete results, with the involvement of the younger generation.

Shri Patel said that celebrations across world cultures and spreading awareness on historic sites are the need of the hour. All around the world, the culmination of experts from diverse fields like architecture, archaeology, performing and visual art, culture have contributed towards preserving the tangible and intangible heritage cultural monuments for the younger generations. I hope, this panel discussion comprising of such eminent and knowledgeable personalities, will go a long way in preserving our precious heritage. I congratulate and wish you all the best for this noble endeavour.

Webinar “India’s Heritage Powering Tourism’ was organized to explore the extensive and splendid tangible and intangible heritage of India and its importance in enriching tourist experience. The brain storming session was modulated by ADG, Tourism Ms Rupinder Brar and attended by following eminent personalities from various fields:

Mr. Abhay Mangaldas – House of Mangaldas
Mr. Harshvardhan – No footprints
Ms.Shailja Katoch – House of Kangra
Dr Shruti Nada Poddar – Nada Yoga
Ms. Krithika Subrahmanian – Svatma
Ms. Sudakshna Thampi – Yoga & Spiritual Healing
Dr Shovana Narayan – Kathak Maestro
Mr. Dinesh K Patnaik – Director General, ICCR
Ms. Lovleen Sagar – Distant Frontiers

World Heritage Day 2021 theme this year is “Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures”.