Tag Archives: Minister of Tourism

Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of Tourism, Sri Lanka, has said that he expects the country’s international airports to officially reopen by January 21. “We are currently preparing for this after identifying some basic issues,” he added. The airports will open after 10 long months with health protocols in place.

Uttarakhand Tourism has approved the Tourist Incentive Coupon Scheme, under which tourists opting for e-bookings for their stay in hotels and homestays, will get a rebate of Rs 1000 for a 3-day stay, revealed Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Uttarakhand. “The tourists will be given the discount coupon while registering themselves on the government portal under tourist category. They will then be able to use the coupon during their stay in a hotel or homestay in the tourist spots of the state. The tourist will have to provide his Aadhaar card details while registering to avail the coupon and have to stay for minimum three days in the hotel or homestay. The scheme will also apply for the Char-Dham pilgrims,” said Maharaj. He also revealed that under the scheme the tourists will be given a discount of ₹1000 or 25% of the hotel charge per day, whichever is less. Source: Hindustan Times

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) participated at the recent PATA Travel Mart 2018 in Langkawi, Malaysia to promote the tourism prospects of Maharashtra on a global platform. Dinesh Kamble, Senior Manager, Marketing and Publicity represented MTDC at PATA Travel Mart 2018. MTDC pavilion at PATA Travel Mart 2018 was visited by Mridal Kumar, High Commissioner of India to Malaysia and Sudeshna Ramkumar, Director – India Tourism Singapore, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India along with Chris Botrill, Chairman, PATA and Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) showcased several prospects of tourism such as beach tourism, Buddhist tourism, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism and Bollywood tourism at the 41st Edition of PATA Travel Mart 2018. PATA Travel Mart 2018 offered a golden chance to aggressively market the tourism catalogues, vivacious culture, exclusive destinations and investment prospects in the state. Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra said, “Maharashtra is leading in terms of foreign tourist arrivals (FTA). With the 41st edition of PATA Travel Mart 2018, we were able to promote the diversity of our state which offers 360 degrees dimension and the potential to cater to the needs of global travellers.” Vijay Kumar Gautam (IAS), Principal Secretary, Tourism, Government of Maharashtra added, “The main objective of participation at 41st Edition of PATA Travel Mart 2018 is to encourage Maharashtra as a world-class tourist destination and help the and tour operators to network with international buyers, trade buyers, exhibitors, strategy makers and investors.”

PATA Travel Mart (PTM) 2018, being held at Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre in Langkawi, Malaysia, has opened to more than 1400 delegates. Addressing them, Mario Hardy, Chief Executive Officer, PATA, said, “PATA Travel Mart continues to stand tall in the Asia Pacific as the most value-adding network. The event’s continued success is due to its ability to strike the right balance between quality and quantity when it comes to buyer and seller appointments. So far, PTM has welcomed a total of 389 sellers from 208 organisations and 33 destinations. On the buyer side, we have a total of 252 buyers from 241 organisations and 53 source markets. Overall, there are more than 1400 delegates who have joined us this week.” Speaking at the occasion, YB Tuan Mohamaddin Ketapi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia, said, “As the host country of PTM, it is an opportunity for us to promote Malaysia as the ideal leisure and business destination. A key area we are constantly working on is visa facilitation. Improved visa facilities in India and China are making it convenient for more travellers to visit Malaysia. In fact, we are seeing double-digit growth from these two markets due to the positive steps taken to facilitate their travel here, and we hope that this can be expanded to other markets.” PTM 2018 is Asia Pacific’s worldwide travel trade exhibition featuring unparalleled networking and contracting opportunities to help travel trade and tourism organisations access decision makers, meet new clients, expand their network, establish new relationships, and consolidate existing business partnerships.

Uttarakhand Travel Mart (UTM), a B2B buyer-seller meet and travel and tourism exhibition, is set to be held in Dehradun from October 24-26, 2018. The event will be a strong platform for exhibitors to network with buyers and invited delegates. Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Uttarakhand, released the Uttarakhand Travel Mart (UTM) brochure in New Delhi to boost tourism and promote the mart.  

The Ministry of Tourism is set to host the first edition of India Tourism Mart from September 16-18, 2018 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, in association with Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), along with different states and union territories. Speaking at the event, KJ Alphons, Minister of Tourism (I/C) said, “ITM is created to have a dedicated tourism event for India on the lines of WTM London, ITB Berlin, ATM Dubai, etc, which provide a platform for stakeholders in the industry to network for business opportunities with international buyers. The event is going to see over 300 international buyers and around 250 stalls for exhibitors. The buyers will be selected from potential source markets by the international offices of MOT as well as by the participating associations on merit and quality.”

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has launched an e-brochure of Lonar Crater, reported as a national geo-heritage monument, located at Lonar in Buldhana district of Maharashtra. It was launched by Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism & (EGS), Government of Maharashtra, in the presence of Vijay Kumar Gautam (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism and Culture, Government of Maharashtra and MD, MTDC. Lonar Crater is a saline lake created by a meteor impact during Pleistocene Epoch and is one of the largest, most exclusive basalt impact craters on the globe. This brochure includes all the information about the Lonar crater and the famous tourist destinations near the lake. In addition to this, MTDC is in process of developing a new Planetarium, Museum and a Research Centre near the crater which will help highlight the history behind the formation of this crater. This initiative will offer economic benefits to the local communities, increase tourist footfall and generate employment opportunities in Buldhana.

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has strengthened its ties with Airbnb with the introduction of Tourism Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme which aims to boost the tourism prospects in the state. It will also drive economic growth in local communities by helping micro-entrepreneurs in hospitality sector grow their business thorough four key pillars of support- Training, Enabling, Access and Promotion.  The programme will first be launched in Elephanta village where MTDC and Airbnb will associate with Gram Panchayat and identify 35 homes and get aligned with Airbnb standards. Hosts of these homes would be first set of entrepreneurs benefitting from this programme. Commenting on the programme Jaykumar Rawal,  Minister of Tourism, Maharashtra said, “Tourism is not only a source of revenue for the state, but is also key source of growth for local communities. In Airbnb, we have found a global partner whose vision to create skilled micro-entrepreneurs in hospitality and homestay ecosystem to further expand Maharashtra’s tourism potential. We are pleased to expand our partnership with Airbnb and launch the Tourism Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme, which will help mentor and support budding entrepreneurs in hospitality sector and build strong homestay network across key destinations. “ Airbnb has trained around 500 partners last year partnering with MTDC and with launch of the programme its aims to achieve 1500 micro-entrepreneurs with at least one entrepreneur in each village. To start off with the programme will cover destinations like Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Palghar with special focus on Elephanta Island. Chris Lehane, Global Head of Policy ad Communications, Airbnb said, “Airbnb’s commitment to create 50,000 hospitality micro-entrepreneurs in India.”

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has participated in the Global Exhibition on Services (GES) to showcase the tourism potential of the state in agritourism, medical tourism, Buddhist tourism, etc to attract visitors from around the world. The fourth edition of GES aims to increase trade services between India and the globe. On the occasion of World Agritourism Day, MTDC is promoting agritourism as the state has huge potential and farmers can take up agritourism to boost their income. It is also promoting medical tourism and Buddhist tourism to tap the new avenues of tourist attraction. MTDC is also encouraging Buddhist pilgrimage in Maharashtra by developing sites where Lord Buddha was born, taught, preached and attained nirvana. Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, who was present at the inauguration, said, “This is an excellent platform to grow our businesses and meet the new stakeholders from across the world. GES 2018 is a wonderful opportunity to aggressively market the tourism inventories, lively culture, exclusive destinations and investment prospects in Maharashtra.” Vijay Gautam, (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, added, “We have observed that tourism as one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. Through GES 2018, we are promoting our tourism inventories like medical tourism, agritourism and Buddhist tourism. We are now looking to create a unique identity by offering best services for the world and establish ourselves as the best tourism destination and it will pave a way for creating a roadmap for the state.”

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), in association with Global Vipassana Pagoda in Gorai, is looking to encourage visitors across the globe to experience tool of meditation for individual and global wellness and peace. In 2014, the Union Ministry announced plans to develop new Circuits to cover routes of important Buddhist destinations of the country. The Global Vipassana Pagoda in Gorai focuses on the Vipassana form of meditation, which stresses on the systematic investigation of the self, a phenomenon that is unique to the Buddhist tradition. The Pagoda also provides an insight to Buddhism by engaging visitors in a healthy and spiritual way from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Circuits in the coastal area of Nalasopara, Chaityabhoomi in Dadar, the Mandapeshwar Caves in Borivali, the Kanheri Caves in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Elephanta Caves are definitely going to increase the flow of tourists in the State. Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism & (EGS), Government of Maharashtra conveys, “MTDC in association with the Global Vipassana Pagoda is promoting the Buddhist Circuit and wellness tourism in the state. Our aim is to endorse the Buddhist circuit, among other spiritual sites that engage people to experience and learn about the rich legacy through Buddhist monuments.”