Category Archives: MOT

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 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.

Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged the Centre to form a Himachal Scouts Battalion with local recruitment from border areas. He also sought Army support to boost border tourism up to the LAC and called for removing inner line check posts to ease permit hurdles, aiming to simplify travel and improve the tourist experience.

As part of the Three Hundred Seventy Ninth Report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Tourism, a Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended forming a Fund Utilisation Task Force. Comprising financial and project management experts, the task force will conduct monthly reviews to track fund usage and identify bottlenecks, aiming to enhance transparency and efficiency in tourism projects.

“India doesn’t need to build artificial attractions—we already have 43 UNESCO sites and unmatched natural beauty,” said Mugdha Sinha, former DG, Ministry of Tourism, GoI. She urged tourism players to repackage existing heritage with modern amenities and narratives. “Take them back to the Taj Mahal—but with better logistics, better storytelling,” she added.