Tag Archives: Ministry of Tourism (MOT)

Suggesting that India has to create an enabling environment for the market forces to unleash with aggression in terms of investments in the sector to realise the sector’s true potential, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, MOT, said, “Tourism currently contributes 5.6% to the country’s GDP which is quite low. The task is to double it in the next 10 years by encouraging market forces to invest aggressively in the sector.”

Five ministries of Government of India will work with states and UTs to release a masterlist of tourism destinations for development, announced Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, MOT, GoI, on the World Tourism Day. The Gol will give free visa to first 1 lakh foreign visitors to India under ‘Chalo India’ drive.

Appealing to the states to collaborate for tourism acceleration, Venkatesan Dhattareyan, Regional Director (South), Ministry of Tourism, GoI, said that he believes the interstate travel circuits with bundled packages promoting multiple states or two states in one itinerary should be encouraged with a focus on lesser known destinations for the ease of travellers. It will help in equitable distribution of tourists and will benefit the region.

Ministry of Tourism is aiming to create a tourism assets bank, a new initiative that maps India’s tangible and intangible attractions. From Hyderabad’s biryani to the beaches of Goa, the project will categorise what makes each destination special. V Vidyavathi, Secretary, MOT, said, “The aim is to develop tourism products that resonate deeply with travellers, offering them more personalised and experiential journeys.”

Ministry of Tourism has ramped up efforts to boost tourism across southern states, with a mega conference of South Indian tourism ministers set to take place in Vizag today. Notably, the Ministry has already approved various projects, including ₹30.02 crore plan for Mamallapuram.

After the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) approached the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for the inclusion of several tourism routes for providing better air connectivity to pivotal tourist places, 53 tourism routes were operationalised by MoCA under the RCS-UDAN. Additionally, 48 helicopter routes are connecting hilly regions of the nation.

MOT apprised that India has witnessed 9.24 mn Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) in 2023, which marks an increase of 43.5 per cent from 2022. Interestingly, 1.22 mn of them were from APAC countries – Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, and Republic of Korea. Additionally in 2023, 6.35 lakh foreign tourists arrived in India for medical purposes.

Commenting on the Ministry of Tourism’s ‘Coolcation’ campaign, challenging the notion of India being too hot for summer travel. Rajiv Mehra, President, IATO, said that the issue lacks publicity abroad. It (publicity) needs to be increased (abroad) to highlight the places in India where people can visit during this period,” he said.

Manisha Saxena, DG, Tourism, said that under the MICE Tourism Policy, the Ministry of Tourism is working to develop city-level bureaus to promote venues internationally and for events of every size to be hosted in India. This initiative is expected to escalate inbound tourism in India and will attract more M!CE events.

Speaking at an event, Manisha Saxena, DG Tourism, Government of India, shared, “While high room rates in India may be prompting some weddings to move abroad, it’s crucial to offer venues that cater to various budgets and preferences. While five-star hotels are ideal for large weddings, affordability remains a consideration for many.”