Category Archives: MOT

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 …

Newly elected IATO office bearers, led by President Ravi Gosain, met Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI to invite him to the 40th IATO annual convention scheduled to be held in Puri from 22 to 25 August. The delegation discussed several key issues affecting inbound tourism. The minister assured support and said proactive steps by the ministry are already in progress.

It has to make the longest and highest flight. And this flight will not only cross global borders but will also take the world in the direction of sustainability, green mobility, and equitable access. Friends, the handling capacity of our airports has reached 500 million passengers every year. India is one of the few countries in the world that is setting new standards for user experience through technology. We are focusing on safety, efficiency, and sustainability. We are moving towards sustainable aviation fuels.        

As per trends observed by IATO and discussion with every other FTA (Foreign Tourist Arrival) stakeholder, it is assessed by the body that FTA in India has not still not touched the 2019 level in the last financial year . While the importance of Inbound Tourism as a precious Foreign Exchange earner and Soft Diplomacy Tool cannot be over emphasised, India as a destination with such raw and natural beauty is performing way below its potential. To step up, IATO has written to PM where it has urged immediate budgetary allocation of Rs 1000 crore under Incredible India Campaign and formation of “India Tourism Board” under the PM’s leadership with the specific objective of increasing FTA’s. These measures are required as the coming season is a few months away and can help boost inbound tourism in this financial year. Ravi Gosain, President, IATO, says, “When global trade is facing unprecedented disruptions due to tariff wars and geopolitical shifts, tourism exports remain unaffected by such constraints. Unlike goods, India’s tourism export (i.e. foreign tourists spending in India), which is non-tariff based, brings direct foreign exchange earnings into the country. This positions inbound tourism as a stable, sustainable, and immediate contributor to India’s current account with valuable foreign exchange, employment generation and balances forex trade deficit. Yet , regretfully the country is lagging in its effort to attract foreign tourists”. Considering every foreign visitor to India becomes an ambassador of Indian culture, heritage, values and the immense multiplier impact it has in terms of employment generator and net revenue it earns, we still have not valued it as much as we should have. This sector alone has the potential to contribute 1-2 …

Speaking at the IATA AGM in New Delhi, Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, India, said that Indian Airlines such as IndiGo and Air India, with their wide-body aircraft, can compete with global airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways in today’s market space. He adds, “After getting the 1700 planes, which was already been ordered, India will be ready to compete with the best airlines in the world and boost tourism through the airport infrastructure that is being developed in India.”

Sharing details of MOT’s latest initiative, Arun Srivastava, Joint Director General, MOT, says, “MOT launches India’s first MICE digital catalogue carefully populating it with MICE facilities across 60 cities of India. This is very promising news as India witnessed 51% growth in hosting global conferences in 2024 over 2022 and India’s ICCA global rank improved to 28th in 2024 from 37th in 2022. Ministry is working on multiple fronts for developing a facilitating ecosystem for the MICE industry.”

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI, said, “As India’s MICE industry is rapidly emerging as a global powerhouse, it is set to be a major economic driver, generating high-quality jobs. States across the country are unlocking tourism opportunities in their own unique ways — and now, it is time for India to position itself firmly on the global MICE map.”

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Tourism Minister, GoI, said they will do their best to “minimise” the dent on tourism in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the attack. “I am in touch with everybody in J&K, and so is my office. Secretary, Tourism is taking regular updates from the UT’s Tourism Secretary and Chief Secretary”, he added.

In the aftermath of the recent terrorist incident in Kashmir, V Vidyavathi, Secretary (Tourism), has requested all tourist service operators, travel agents, tour operators, and OTAs, tourist transport providers, hoteliers and all other accommodation units to provide all possible assistance to the tourists, including waving off cancellation fees. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu held an urgent meeting with all airline operators and issued a strong advisory against surge pricing. Airlines have been directed to maintain regular fare levels, ensuring that no passenger is burdened during this sensitive time. As part of immediate relief measures, four special flights from Srinagar—two to Delhi and two to Mumbai—have been arranged, with additional flights kept on standby to cater to further evacuation needs.