Category Archives: MOT

The much awaited all-new Incredible India website, which was set to go live from December 25, 2017, will now be launched in the end of January 2018. This was informed by Rashmi Verma, Secretary-Tourism, Government of India. “We could have launched the website as planned because in terms of technology, the website is ready. However, we are currently sourcing more content and images to make the website a complete solution and thus, by the third week of January, we should be ready to launch it, she said. Verma underscored various initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT). MOT is shortlisting some iconic tourist sites to develop into world-class sites in collaboration with various other ministries like Transport, Environment, Culture and Aviation. Five destinations under the Buddhist circuit are being developed with basic amenities and connectivity in collaboration with Ministry of Transport. She further added that MOT has planned to develop Special Tourism Zone and a proposal has been extended to all the states.

The Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned projects worth over Rs 203 cr for Uttar Pradesh alone for the development of Ramayana and Krishna circuit in UP, Haryana and Rajasthan under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. Under the Ramyana Circuit, the sites of Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) have been included. The Krishna Circuit involves the sites of Dwarka (Gujarat); Nathdwara, Jaipur & Sikar (Rajasthan); Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon & Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha). The projects sanctioned under the scheme have a gestation period of 18-36 months and are subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable Detailed Project Reports, adherence to scheme guidelines and utilisation of funds released earlier. No proposal has been received in the Ministry for the development of Sita Circuit. The Ministry also has the PRASHAD scheme (National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) for holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations in the country. Under the scheme, 25 sites have been identified for development.

Emphasising on the importance of sustainable tourism at CII’s Annual Tourism Summit, Alphons Kannanthanam, Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, said that it is important for tourism to boom in India and be sustainable at the same time. Citizens need to keep their country clean, so that tourists get to explore a habitable environment, he added. The summit, held at ITC Maurya, New Delhi, focused its agenda on the year 2017 being the International Year of Sustainability. Other dignitaries present at the summit included Deep Kalra, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MakeMy Trip; H.E., Jozef Drofenik, Ambassador, Embassy of Slovenia; Arjun Sharma, Co-Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism & Hospitality and Managing Director, Select Group; and Mandip Singh Soin, Founder & Managing Director, Ibex Expeditions and Honorary Founding President, Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI).

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) this November were 10.05 lakh as compared to FTAs of 8.78 lakh in November 2016 and 8.16 lakh in November 2015, according to the latest data released by the Ministry of Tourism. The growth rate in FTAs in November 2017 over November 2016 was 14.4 per cent as compared to 7.6 per cent in November 2016 over November 2015. FTAs during the period January- November 2017 were 90.1 lakh with a growth of 15.5 per cent over the same period of previous year, as compared to the FTAs of 77.83 lakh with a growth of 9.4 per cent in January-November, 2016 over January-November, 2015. The percentage share of FTAs in India during November 2017 among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh (16.77 per cent) followed by USA (14.77 per cent), UK (9.93 per cent), Russian Fed. (4.41 per cent), Canada (4.39 per cent), Australia (3.96 per cent), Malaysia (3.50 per cent), Germany (2.90 per cent), France (2.51 per cent), Sri Lanka (2.32 per cent), China (2.26 per cent), Singapore (2.04 per cent), Japan (2.03 per cent), Thailand (1.87 per cent), and Rep. of Korea (1.31 per cent).

The Ministry of Tourism has decided to close its foreign offices at Los Angeles, Toronto, Sydney, Amsterdam, Paris, Milan and Johannesburg. Alphons Kannanthanam, Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, confirmed the news saying that they will be closing a few international offices in the near future. According to an official release from the MOT, the ministry will open a new office at Moscow. Thus, the Ministry of Tourism will now have offices at New York, Dubai, Frankfurt, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore and London.

  Speaking at the 6th Update & Outlook Meeting organised by PATA India and Ministry of Tourism in New Delhi, Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India announced the merger of the HRIDYA and PRASAD Scheme with effect from the start of 2018. She said, “The Ministry of Tourism has been in talks with the Urban Development Ministry and they have been given an in-principle approval to merge the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) with the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) Scheme. The merger will help augment a greater synergy between the rural and urban spiritual sites like temple, church, mosque, etc thereby, providing a holistic development of these sites and an increase in the funding for the scheme.” Verma highlighted the great acceleration that tourism sector has witnessed in India. The platform was also used to reveal various initiatives by the Ministry of Tourism to propel and sustain the growth hence achieved. She also highlighted the shift in strategy of the ministry with regards to marketing campaigns from print and electronic mediums onto social platforms.

During the month of October, 2017, a total of 1.76 lakh foreign tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1.05 lakh during the month of October, 2016 registering a growth of 67.3 per cent. During January- October 2017, a total of 12.43 lakh foreign tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 7.81 lakh during January- October 2016, registering a growth of 59.2 per cent. The percentage share of top 15 source countries availing e- Tourist Visa facilities during October, 2017 was as follows: UK (18.2%), USA (9.7%), France (6.3%), Germany (6.0%), Australia (4.3%), Russian Federation (4.1%), Canada (3.9%), Thailand (3.7%), China (3.7%), Korea (Rep.of) (2.6%), Spain (2.3%), Oman (2.2%), Italy (2.2%), Netherlands (1.9%) and Malaysia (1.6%). The percentage share of top 15 ports in foreign tourist arrivals on e-Tourist Visa during October 2017 was as follows: New Delhi Airport (53.0%), Mumbai Airport (16.6%), Bengaluru Airport (5.5%), Chennai Airport (5.3%), Dabolim (Goa) Airport (4.5%), Kochi Airport (3.5%), Kolkata Airport (2.5%), Hyderabad Airport (2.4%), Amritsar Airport (2.0%), Trivandrum Airport (1.1%), Ahmadabad Airport (1.0%), Jaipur Airport (0.7%), Gaya Airport (0.6%), Calicut Airport (0.4%) and Tirchy Airport (0.4%).

The number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in October, 2017 was 8.76 lakh as compared to FTAs of 7.42 lakh in October, 2016 and 6.83 lakh in October, 2015. The growth rate in FTAs in October, 2017 over October, 2016 has increased to 18.1 per cent, compared to 8.6 per cent in October, 2016 over October, 2015. FTAs during the period January-October 2017 were 79.96 lakh with a growth of 15.8 per cent over same period of the previous year, compared to FTAs of 69.05 lakh with a growth of 9.6 per cent in January- October, 2016 over January- October, 2015. The percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during October, 2017 among the top 15 source countries was highest from Bangladesh (21.66%) followed by USA (11.57%), UK (10.23%), Sri Lanka (3.79%), Canada (3.36%), Germany (3.17%), Australia (3.07%), France (2.81%), Russian Fed. (2.81%), Malaysia (2.76%), Japan (2.44%), Thailand (2.10%), China (1.93%), Nepal (1.66%) and Rep. of Korea (1.48%). The percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during October 2017 among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (32.56%) followed by Mumbai Airport (14.02%), Haridaspur Land Check Post (11.29%), Chennai Airport (6.10%), Bengaluru Airport (5.19%), Kolkata Airport (4.55%), Gede Rail Land Check Post (3.02%), Cochin Airport (2.70%), Dabolim (Goa) Airport, (2.58%), Hyderabad Airport (2.53%), Sonauli Land Check Post (1.86%), Ahmadabad Airport (1.77%), Ghojadanga Land Check Post (1.64%), Amritsar Airport (1.53%) and Trivandrum Airport (1.20%).

Under the ‘Adopt a Heritage Scheme’ of Ministry of Tourism, seven shortlisted companies or Monument Mitras have been given the Letter of Intent for the adoption of 14 monuments, which were presented at the closing ceremony of the three-week-long ‘Paryatan Parv’ at Rajpath Lawns, New Delhi. K.J. Alphons, Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, Government of India, said, “We had over 1200 events across numerous sites in the country, across schools, monuments etc. In the past 20 days, we have turned India into a land of celebrations with the help of our 18 sister ministries and thanks to the overwhelming participation of our own people.” SBI Foundation was shortlisted for the adoption of Jantar Mantar, Delhi, while TK International Limited would be adopting Sun Temple, Konark; Raja Rani Temple, Bhubaneshwar, and Ratnagiri Monuments, Jajpur, Odisha. On the other hand, Yatra Online Pvt. Limited would adopt Hampi, Karnataka; Leh Palace, Jammu & Kashmir; Qutub Minar, Delhi and Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra. Travel Corporation of India Ltd. was shortlisted for the adoption of Mattancherry Palace Museum, Kochi, and Safdarjung Tomb, Delhi. Adventure Tour Operator Association of India (ATOAI) will be adopting Gangotri Temple Area and Trail to Gaumukh, as well as Mt. StokKangri, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir. Special Holidays Travel Pvt. Ltd., along with Rotary Club of Delhi was shortlisted for the adoption of Agrasen ki Baoli, Delhi, and NBCC would adopt Purana Quila, Delhi. Arun Jaitley, Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister, Government of India, also the Chief Guest presented certificates to the ‘Best Participating Central Government Ministry and Best Participating State Government’ at the closing ceremony. The grand spectacle included cultural performances by different state troops, craft mela showing diverse handicrafts …

According to the data released by Ministry of Tourism, Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) during the month of September 2017 were recorded at Rs.13,867 crore as compared to Rs.11,642 crore in September 2016 and Rs.10,415 crore in September 2015. The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms in September 2017 over September 2016 was 19.1 per cent as compared to the growth of 11.8 per cent in September 2016 over September 2015. FEEs during the period January- September 2017, was recorded at Rs.1,29,871 crore, amounting to a growth of 16.8 percent over same period of previous year. The FEEs during January-September 2016 were Rs.1,11,229 crore and amounted to a growth of 13.7 percent over January- September, 2015.