Tag Archives: MoT

Highlighting that an India Tourism Stack can establish India as the world’s most seamless and digitally advanced travel destination, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, MOT, said, “It is time for policymakers, industry leaders, and digital innovators to come together and build the India Tourism Stack — a public good that can catalyse inclusive economic growth and elevate India’s global tourism stature.”

Mugdha Sinha, Director General, Ministry of Tourism said that the country is likely to witness its next peak in foreign tourist arrivals in 2028-2029. She added that over the next three years, the government is investing ₹120 billion ($1.4 billion) in developing infrastructure creating only alternative and detour destinations.

Addressing the 12th ITM in Kaziranga, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, GoI, said, “Northeast region has welcomed over 125 lakh domestic tourists in 2023, a significant increase from 70 lakh tourists in 2014. He attributed this surge to rapid infrastructural development in the region, including improved transportation networks, enhanced tourism facilities, and the development of new tourist sites.”

Addressing the World Tourism Day 2024 event, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice-President, India, stated, “As the tourism sector is booming, MOT & MoCA set to face significant challenges ahead, therefore, the ministers have to be in action 24X7 to fully exploit the enormous potential of Indian tourism.”

Suman Billa, Addl. Secretary, MOT, said, “There is a need for targeted strategies including decongesting popular tourist sites and developing new ones.” Currently, tourism sector contributes five per cent to India’s GDP, whereas Thailand and Turkey adds 23 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively. 

The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) concluded its highly anticipated webinar on 27 August 2024,  titled “Safe Journeys: Enhancing Women’s Safety in Tourism.” Organised by the ATOAI Women’s Collective and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the event marked a significant milestone in the pursuit of safer travel for women. The event saw a robust attendance from various segments of the travel trade, including tour operators, travel agents, and hospitality professionals. Representatives from state tourism departments, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism, also participated, underscoring the significance of the event. Mugdha Sinha, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in her opening remarks, emphasised the importance of creating a safe and inclusive environment for women, both as travellers and professionals within the tourism industry. She highlighted the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to addressing safety concerns and promoting gender equality across all levels of the sector. The distinguished panel of experts, Hannah Pearson, Regional Director APAC, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Dilshad Master Kumar, Director Bull’s Adventures & Outward-Bound India Himalaya, Outdoors Leader, TEDx Speaker and Mohit Aggarwal, CEO, Asian Adventures shared profound insights and forward-thinking strategies on safeguarding women in the tourism sector. The discussion left participants with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities involved in enhancing women’s safety within this industry. The key takeaways from the session included several critical areas essential for advancing women’s safety in tourism: First, the importance of adhering to internationally recognised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) was emphasised. These guidelines help ensure consistent and reliable safety practices across different regions and sectors, creating a unified approach that travellers and service providers can trust. Second, the …

MOT recently released the number of total number of jobs, direct and indirect, in the tourism sector. For 2021-22, it recorded 70.04 million jobs, an uptick in comparison to 68.07 million in 2020-21. Industry leaders believe more jobs could help in unlocking the full potential of India’s tourism sector.

In collaboration with UNWTO, MOT to launch SDG Dashboard on 5th Sept at 5pm, with an aim to explore best avenues and insights from G20 countries as they work towards fostering sustainable and inclusive tourism.  

G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoNER, has said that the National Tourism Policy can be released around World Tourism Day on 27th September. He said, “Now, Parliament doesn’t need to do anything for the policy, & MOT only has to release it.

According to tourism statistics report by MOT, Indian departures during January-June 2023 were 1,32,08,837. 42% of this travel was for leisure and holidays with the percentage share of the top 5 source countries being UAE, Saudai Arabia, USA, Thailand and Singapore.