Category Archives: MOT

MOT is set to make Maha Kumbh this year a landmark event not only for spiritual gatherings, but also for global tourism with luxury tents, cultural pavilions and flights. To ensure seamless travel for tourists, it has partnered with Alliance Air to enhance air connectivity to Prayagraj from multiple cities across India.

Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, has shared that the Ministry of Tourism has confirmed participation at FITUR and urged members to participate in the same. He also announced that their 2025 convention will be held in August at Swosti Premium Beach Resorts, Puri. He was speaking at the monthly IATO luncheon.

Sharing his views and expectations on the upcoming Union Budget, Hussain Patel, Director, TripJack, says, “The travel and tourism sector hopes the Union Budget will address its pressing challenges and pave the way for sustained growth. Rationalizing GST rates for travel agents and enabling input tax credits are essential steps to reduce operational costs and improve market competitiveness. Simplifying compliance processes can further alleviate the administrative burden on businesses. Additionally, promoting domestic and inbound tourism through innovative awareness campaigns and eco-friendly initiatives can foster sustainable development and boost the sector’s long-term prospects. The budget will most likely focus on expanding regional connectivity programs like UDAN and accelerating tourism infrastructure development in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to unlock untapped domestic travel markets. Emphasis on digitization and targeted skill development programs can empower travel agents to adapt to emerging industry trends. Offering affordable credit facilities to small and mid-sized travel agents can strengthen financial resilience and support business growth. If these measures are included in the budget they can stimulate robust and sustainable progress in the industry.”  

The Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region has announced an inter-ministerial Tourism Task Force that has been set to develop one world-class tourism site per North East state to attract global visitors. The task force will also work towards establishing GI status for 200 unique products in the NE region and foster cultural identity and brand recognition. Tourism sites for development in each state have been identified and shared with the respective states, however, the state shall be taking a final decision on the way forward.

Sharing an update from the Ministry of Tourism, Dr Sagnik Chowdhury, Deputy Director General & Regional Director (West & Central India) at Ministry of Tourism, said “We plan to document GI tagged products all across India. In the western region we will focus on Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and the UT of Daman & Diu, Dadra Nagar Haveli. We will document, photograph and develop literature on all GI tagged products in this region. They are an indicator of our heritage and culture and will help attract tourism.”

Highlighting the importance of tourism in boosting Goa’s economy, Rohan Khaunte, Tourism Minister, Goa, said, “Tourism is the heart of Goa’s economy, supporting numerous livelihoods and providing opportunities for our people. This season has been remarkable, with 4 and 5-star hotels nearly at full capacity, showcasing Goa as a top destination for high-spending travellers and charters from established and emerging markets”.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, GoI believes that a well-thought-out policy framework is essential to address existing challenges in the tourism sector. “We should undertake carrying capacity studies to assess factors such as vehicular traffic, room availability, waste management, disaster resilience, etc.,” he added.

In a significant milestone for the country’s tourism industry, MOT revealed that India witnessed a record-breaking 18.89 million foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in 2023. It added that Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism surged to ₹231,927 crore, signalling a vibrant recovery in the sector. Among these visitors, 9.52 million were foreign tourists, while domestic tourism also saw a remarkable boom with 2,509 million DTVs.

Addressing the issue of banks not proving loans for big cars or imported cars during the Indian Tourist Transporters Association convention, Union Culture & Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, said, “I will engage with the banking sector to ask about their apprehensions and understand why this happens and what can be done to resolve this. We will discuss these issues and work together to find a solution.”

India’s G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant has said that India must position itself as a global hub for MICE. He added, “The MICE market is vast and largely untapped in our country. With the development of state-of-the-art facilities like Yashobhoomi and Bharat Mandapam, India now has the potential to capitalise on this. We must ensure, much like Germany has done with its leading venues, that we attract the world’s largest and most prestigious meetings to our shores. Yashobhoomi, designed to be the largest and most advanced convention center globally, surpasses any comparable facility, including those in China. With these world-class facilities, India can and should draw the biggest MICE events from across the globe.”