Category Archives: MOT

Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary, Tourism, while addressing the press at the WTM London, stated that India has achieved phenomenal growth in enhancing infrastructure, which along with massive vaccination drive, will help India to achieve pre-pandemic levels of international tourist arrivals. It also offers huge opportunities for investors and an Investor Summit will be organised by the MOT in February 2023.

With India assuming the G20 Presidency from December 1, the MoT delegation launched ‘Visit India 2023’ at WTM to invite more tourists to the country. Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary, MoT, stated that India has achieved phenomenal growth in enhancing infrastructure, along with the massive vaccination drive. It will help India achieve pre-pandemic levels of international tourist arrivals. It also offers huge opportunities for investors and an Investor Summit will be organized by the Ministry in February 2023.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged citizens to visit Nadabet and other border areas as part of Seema darshan to further tourism. “Seema Darshan Project adds a new dimension to the tourism sector. It gives the opportunity to appreciate the resilience of those who live on the borders,” he said.

Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary, Tourism, has said that the National Tourism Board of India will have four representatives from key ministries–Culture, Civil Aviation, External Affairs and Commerce. “Similarly, from the industry, four professionals from different verticals will be nominated on the board,” he added.

Venkatesan Dhattareyan, Regional Director, India Tourism (Western and Central Region), has been promoting MoT’s scheme that the trade associations can avail for their own MICE requirements. “We want the national trade associations to have their major flagship events within India rather than take it outside the country. In fact, the MoT has a scheme which supports the activities of national trade associations of both travel and hospitality industries – where the government provides financial support for organising their annual conventions, etc. the quantum of support depends on the size of the membership, etc. these details are available on the MoT website and various associations are benefited from this scheme,” he says.

Speaking at the 94th Edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighted the importance of various festivals, celebrations and sports like Chhath, National Unity Day, Janjatiya Gaurav Divas , Gurupurab, Navratri and National Games in uniting people and bringing out the spirit of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat. He said, “The way art, sports and culture came together during the National Games in Ahmedabad, it filled all with joy. They also shared a lot of pictures of Gujarati food and Navratri on social media. After all, through games like these, one comes to know about the diverse cultures of India.”    

Gyan Bhushan, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Tourism, said that about Rs 2600 crore is the total value of output of homestays in India. “One can imagine the kind of jobs that are created in homestays, which is one of our objectives to promote homestays.   

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Tourism, has 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 favourable destinations. He urged all the tourism stakeholders to work closely and strengthen the security aspect of the tourist destinations.

The Ministry of Tourism, in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), organised a national conference of DGs/inspector generals of the police departments of all states and UTs to discuss implementation of Uniform Tourist Police Scheme. Objective of the national conference was to bring the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Home Affairs, BPR&D and state governments and UT administration on the same platform, so that they may work together in close coordination with the state and UT police departments and sensitise them about specific requirements of foreign and domestic tourists.

Ministry is employing locally trained professionals at tourist sites, providing employment to locals there near their homes. “Employment generation in the tourism sector is one of the key agendas of our ministry.” said Secretary Tourism Arvind Singh.