Category Archives: MOT

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI, informed Rajya Sabha that the MOT extends financial assistance to approved tourism service providers (TSPs) under the MDA Scheme for overseas tourism promotion. However, no aid was granted to the states or UTs in the past three years. The scheme is currently under review to align with the industry’s evolving needs.

The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH)  announces its most significant policy dialogue since the onset of the pandemic—the FAITH Conclave 2025—scheduled to be held on 12–13 August 2025 at The Taj Palace, New Delhi. Under the theme ‘Indian Tourism: Invincible Spirit’, this landmark event will bring together top leaders from both government and industry to collaboratively drive the shared goal of establishing India as a global tourism powerhouse by 2047. A Vision for 2047: $3 Trillion, 200 Million Tourism Jobs FAITH Conclave 2025 is a cornerstone in shaping the path to Tourism@2047—a bold, inclusive and achievable roadmap for India to become a top 5 global tourism economy. Discussions will focus on: Milestones for achieving India’s $3 trillion tourism vision Creating a pan-India tourism growth narrative Deepening Centre-State-Industry alignment Urgent steps to increase Inbound Tourism to India  Making tourism a concurrent subject in the Constitution Securing export industry status for tourism Reforming GST across the tourism value chain Spotlight on Tourism Reforms Key areas of discussion include: Developing a country-specific inbound strategy Boosting rural, wellness and spiritual tourism circuits Creating destination-specific marketing and infrastructure plans Confirmed Dignitaries & Thought Leaders: Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Union Minister for Tourism Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Hon’ble Minister for DONER ShriRohanKhaunte, Hon’ble Tourism Minister of Goa Senior functionaries from the Ministry of Tourism Industry leaders including: Mr Amitabh Kant (Former G20 Sherpa) Mr Puneet Chhatwal, MD & CEO of Indian Hotels Company Ltd. Mr Rajesh Magow (Group CEO, MakeMyTrip) Mr Pieter Elbers (CEO, IndiGo) Mr Dipak Deva (MD, TCI) Mr Anil Chadha (MD, ITC Hotels) Mr K B Kachru (Chairman Emeritus, Radisson Hotels) Ms Homa Mistry (CEO, Trail Blazer Tours) And many more… FAITH’s structure ensures that every member association—ADTOI, ATOAI, FHRAI, HAI, IATO, ICPB, IHHA, ITTA, TAAI, TAFI, has equal representation and …

Speaking at a Heritage Tourism Conclave in New Delhi, Rajender Kumar, Secretary – Tourism, Civil Aviation, Devasthanam Management & Pilgrimage, Government of Gujarat, outlined the state’s proactive vision for inclusive heritage tourism, stating, “We are not only restoring monuments but also ensuring direct benefits to local communities through jobs, infrastructure, and cultural pride.”

“The government is targeting to increase tourism’s share in the country’s economy to 10% by 2047, in line with global standards,” said Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI, at the CII Annual Business Summit. He emphasised the role of tourism as a powerful generator of jobs and called for trained human resources for the sector.

Speaking to stakeholders recently, Mohamed Farouk, Regional Director (Western Region), India Tourism Mumbai, says “As India charts its course on the global tourism map, I urge the industry to focus on inclusive growth, accessible tourism, technological innovation and sustainability. These are not just aspirations but imperatives for future-ready hospitality. The Tourism Ministry is committed to partnering with the industry through initiatives like NIDHI Plus, Hunar Se Rozgar Tak and Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India.”

The two-day Tourism Secretaries’ Conference of all States and Union Territories, organised by the Union MOT, is underway at SKICC, Srinagar. The conference will focus on key national-level policy areas, including tourism-related budget announcements for 2025-26, destination development and infrastructure initiatives, a review of sanctioned projects, and promotion and marketing strategies.

India welcomed 28.5 lakh foreign tourists during January-March 2025, up from 26.8 lakh in Q1 2024 and 6.2% year-on-year growth, as per the MOT’s report. The rise signals renewed global confidence in India’s tourism offerings, including heritage, wellness and medical travel, despite global economic uncertainties.

In the last decade, India’s sacred geography has not merely been visited—it has been rediscovered. The mountains are no longer just landscapes; they are living sanctuaries. From the snow-draped shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath to the meditative calm of Bodh Gaya and the golden stillness of Sarnath, India’s spiritual soul has stirred—one pilgrim at a time. Tourism in this era was not crafted through brochures but through bhakti, memory, and the civilisational impulse to reconnect. Between 2014 and 2024, this spiritual awakening reshaped the country’s cultural map. Kedarnath, once a symbol of tragedy, rose like a phoenix—welcoming over 16 lakh pilgrims in 2024, up from barely 40,000 a decade earlier. Ujjain, rejuvenated as a city worthy of Mahakal, drew 7.32 crore visitors in 2024. Kashi, reborn in light and sanctity, saw 11 crore people walk its sacred lanes. Bodh Gaya and Sarnath quietly echoed across continents, drawing over 30 lakh seekers in 2023. And then came a moment that transcended statistics—the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya in January 2024. It was not an inauguration; it was a restoration of the civilisational heartbeat. In just six months, over 11 crore devotees arrived—not just to witness, but to belong. Equally monumental was the Mahakumbh 2025, the world’s largest spiritual gathering, with over 65 crore pilgrims at the confluence of faith and transcendence. Together, Ayodhya and Prayagraj became twin lighthouses of Bharat’s spiritual renaissance. This was not tourism—it was homecoming. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, this return was given shape, infrastructure, and soul. No longer a checklist-driven industry, tourism became a national mission to rediscover the sacred self. PM Modi’s visionary mantra— “Wed in India, Visit India, Invest in India”—recoded …

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that the government and the private exhibition industry must collaborate to establish India as a centre of MICE tourism. “Several global events can be hosted in India. With planned expansions in road, aviation and railway sectors alongside growth in the conference and exhibition industry, the country has a promising future. The exhibition and conference infrastructure in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur and even small cities post-G-20 summit indicates that India has strong opportunities in this sector,” he adds.

In January 2024, as the sun rose over the holy city of Ayodhya, a prayer whispered for centuries finally found its voice. The Pran Pratishta of Shri Ram in his Ram Mandir was not just a religious milestone—it was a moment of civilizational redemption. After centuries of invasion, colonial distortion, and political delay, the temple stood tall—etched in sandstone, echoing with mantras, and pulsing with history. It wasn’t just about architecture; it was about the healing of a wounded soul. The return of Shri Ram to his birthplace rekindled the spirit of a nation that had long carried the silence of exile in its heart. A few months prior, another symbol of India’s ancient spirit quietly returned to its rightful place. During the inauguration of the new Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi installed the Sengol—a sacred scepter presented to Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947 by Tamil Adheenams to mark the dharmic transfer of power. For decades, it had been forgotten, mislabeled, and dismissed as a walking stick. Its restoration was not just an act of remembrance—it was a powerful declaration that India would no longer view itself through borrowed eyes. The Sengol represented rule anchored in righteousness, not relics of empire—a decisive embrace of India’s own statecraft and spiritual traditions, long overlooked in a post-colonial order. Together, these moments signaled a deeper cultural resurgence—a civilisational stirring that would unfold across eleven transformative years. From the outset in 2014, it was clear that under the Modi Government, culture would no longer be ornamental—it would be foundational. International Yoga Day, first observed in 2015, saw millions across the globe celebrate an ancient Indian practice that fuses body, mind, and spirit. Yoga was not …