Category Archives: MOT

Ministry of Tourism (MOT) is targeting last-mile connectivity through Viability Gap Funding to MoCA under RCS UDAN scheme, revealed Arvind Singh, Secretary, Tourism. “We are also discussing with the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways for improving road connectivity to important destinations,” he added while speaking at the World Tourism Day celebration.

It’s good thing that UNWTO has recognised inclusiveness as the theme. For a country like India, we are looking at tourism and hospitality providing a huge amount of employment opportunities across the socio-economic spectrum. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to work with a strategic focus on creating inclusiveness in our sector because in India the experiential possibilities, in terms of magnitude and offerings, are immense. This provide us an amazing opportunity to work at the grassroot level to ensure community involvement and to make sure that there are many benefits that can flow back to society, at large through inclusive tourism.

One must consider local needs when it comes to tourism. In responsible or inclusive tourism, local people try to come out and enhance their skills to suit the needs of 5-star properties in the area. In Kumarakom, Kerala for example, local self-help groups by ladies prepare fish and supply vegetables, linen, drinking water and coconut water to 5-star hotels. There are around seven 5-star hotels and over 200 hotels in Kumarakom and the supply chain management has been taken over by the local population. Local institutions and state governments have given this training to them. Hence, I insist that state governments should actively get involved into developing responsible tourism. Need-based tourism and skill development is essential.

I am proud that our state has taken the lead in agri-tourism. The concept of 30% Krishi Yojana proposed by the Agriculture Minister Dadasaheb Bhuse for women farmers is highly commendable. More than 60% of the country’s population engages in agriculture and it is crucial to link agriculture to tourism. Agri-tourism is instrumental for employment generation and economic improvement especially in these pandemic times when people have lost jobs. Agri-tourism has given us the opportunity to bring together the two major sectors: tourism and agriculture. The current pandemic offers an opportunity to grow agri-tourism in India. One of the safest ways to enjoy travel right now is to visit rural areas, experience rural life and enjoy clean environment.

Community partnership is very important to develop responsible and inclusive tourism in places like Ladakh. There is an immense need to develop overall tourism along with focussing on creating a professional skilled workforce. Tourism can be a game changer that can bring socio-economic change in the nation especially in NE region.

After a successful meeting with the tourism and culture ministers of Northeastern states in Guwahati, Ministry of Tourism, is now planning a similar conference with the tourism ministers of Southern states, revealed G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoNER in his address at the World Tourism Day celebration in New Delhi. The meeting, as per Rupinder Brar, ADG, MOT, will be held in Karnataka, most probably between Bengaluru and Hampi.

Goa’s historic churches which are maintained by the ASI will be developed by the central government, which will also fund events related to the 60th anniversary of the state’s Liberation from Portuguese yoke, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy. Speaking at a helipad inauguration in Old Goa, Reddy said, “We will promote events related to the 60th anniversary of Goa’s Liberation through the Union ministry of Tourism and Culture. Churches maintained by the (ASI) will also be developed under the aegis of the central government. We will spend money on it. The PM has said that Goa should be allotted more money for tourism development,” Reddy said.

Kishan Reddy, while addressing the recent conference of tourism and culture ministers of North Eastern states. has said that under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, MOT has sanctioned 16 projects in the North Eastern region. He also informed that under the PRASHAD schemes, the MOT has sanctioned number of projects in the region. Approximately Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned for these projects, he added.

G Kishan Reddy held a review meeting with the officials of MOT, ASI and Goa Tourism along with Shripad Yesso Naik MoS, Tourism and Manohar Azgaonkar, Goa Tourism Minister. He discussed key issues pertaining to promotion of tourism & culture in the state of Goa. He also inaugurated helipad at old Goa. “The helipad will facilitate tourists with easy travel & will further heli tourism as envisioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of MOT in the state,” he said in a tweet.

Speaking at a webinar on developing tourism in Mizoram, Rupinder Brar, ADG, Ministry of Tourism, said that her ministry wants to make a difference in the next two months. “It is a high priority at the ministry, for us, to take up the development and promotion of tourism in the north east region. We are also exploring with MoCA, adding more routes on the Viability Gap Funding by the MoT for priority areas. Once the plan of action is worked out, we will deep-dive and start. The NE is one of the most beautiful parts of India and so much needs to be done,” she said.