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Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has once again achieved a significant milestone. The board has been honoured with a prestigious award in the ‘Global Recognition to Historical Heritage’ category.  The accolade was presented at a distinguished event in New Delhi, recognizing the board’s unwavering efforts in preserving and promoting the state’s rich historical and cultural heritage. This achievement reaffirms Madhya Pradesh’s position as a global heritage destination and highlights its dedication to safeguarding the past for future generations. Expressing his delight over this remarkable achievement, Shri Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary Tourism, Culture and Religious Trusts & Endowments Department and Managing Director Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board stated, “This award is a proud moment for Madhya Pradesh and a testament to our relentless efforts in heritage conservation. Our state is home to some of the world’s most iconic historical landmarks, and this recognition will further strengthen their global presence, drawing travelers and history enthusiasts from across the world.” With this achievement, Madhya Pradesh continues to strengthen its position on the international tourism map. The award further cements the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board’s reputation at the global level, highlighting its commitment to showcasing the state’s historical landmarks and cultural heritage to the world. This prestigious honour was presented at World Travel and Tourism Festival Awards organized by TV9 Network and RedHat Communication.

Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism (FHT), Amity University Uttar Pradesh Noida, in collaboration with International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA) and United Nations (Tourism) is organising a three-day International Conference on “Bridging the Gaps in Tourism Knowledge and practice: Sustainable Development, Regenerative Tourism, Digital Eco-Systems and Green Investments” from 6th to 8th February, 2025. Inaugurating the Conference, Chief Guest, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism & Minister of Culture, averred, “India’s cultural heritage has been the richest since ancient times and India was the focal point of knowledge, art, architecture, handicrafts, trade. Many people from various countries used to visit India to understand its rich cultural and traditional heritage. India is the mother of world tourism, and it has the potential to become the number one country in the tourism sector. Covid had a significant impact on the tourism industry but still we managed to bounce back. By the year 2040, India will become 6 trillion-dollar economy and tourism industry will contribute 10% to the economy. Under the visionary guidance of Prime Minister, 1,050 kms of roads, 157 airports and high-speed railway network have been created. Sustainability is a priority in the tourism industry and under “Paryatan Mitra” and “Paryatan Didi” initiatives, we aim to inculcate a sense of responsibility amongst the tourists to foster responsible and sustainable tourism. We also plan to give “Green Leaf Ratings” to the hotels for sustainability so that they comply with sustainable practices. Green investment, water conservation and green electricity will reduce the impact of climate change on the tourism sector.” Dr. Ashok Chauhan, Founder President, Amity Education Group, stated, “We are extremely grateful to the hon’ble Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat ji for sparing his valuable …

Kerala welcomed 2,22,46,989 tourists in 2024, which marked a substantial increase of 21 percent from the pre-pandemic period, informed P A Mohamed Riyas, Minister for Tourism, Government of Kerala. The first half of 2024 (January-June) alone saw a total of 1,08,57,181 tourist arrivals from within the country.

Thailand is set to host 3.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in February 2025, reflecting a 5 per cent year-on-year increase, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Among its major source markets, the country is expecting 1.7 lakh Indian travellers in February 2025.

While addressing the 3rd edition of ‘Virasat,’ Mugdha Sinha, DG, Ministry of Tourism, GoI, said, “There is a ‘symbiotic relationship’ between culture and tourism and the latter pillion rides on cultural assets as destination pullers. Culture and tourism are the two sides of the same coin, like Janus, the Roman god.” She noted India attracted 1.45 per cent of global tourists in 2023.

Organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka, in partnership with the Karnataka Tourism Society (KTS), Karnataka International Travel Expo (KITE) 2025 will be held from 26 to 28 February 2025. The Expo offers opportunity to connect with 150+ International buyers from 25+ countries and 250+ Indian buyers.

Expressing his hope on revamped Incredible India Digital Platform (IIDP) to increase foreign footfall in India, Subhash Goyal, Founder & Chairman, STIC Travel & Air Charter Group, said, “The government should reopen Indian Tourism offices abroad and increase the publicity budget to promote foreign tourism in India otherwise it will depend only on digital platforms.”

Horwath HTL report showed that despite economic challenges and the absence of major events, the hospitality sector saw strong growth, with a national occupancy rate of 63.9%, an Average Daily Rate (ADR) of INR7,951, and a 10.7% RevPAR increase. India added 14,400 chain-affiliated rooms, pushing the total supply past 200,00.

To tap the tea tourism potential of the state, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh, said that the state government is moving forward with plans to study the tea tourism model of West Bengal and frame a policy — which the stakeholders see as having a great potential to revitalise the tea industry.

Kerala allocated ₹80 crore for national and global promotion in the state budget FY2025-26. It will continue to focus on its traditional international markets: Europe, North America and South America. “We recently saw a rise in arrivals from Australia so we will focus on it along with the ones witnessing dip,” said Sikha Surendran, Director, Kerala Tourism.