Tag Archives: MoT

In collaboration with UNWTO, MOT to launch SDG Dashboard on 5th Sept at 5pm, with an aim to explore best avenues and insights from G20 countries as they work towards fostering sustainable and inclusive tourism.  

G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DoNER, has said that the National Tourism Policy can be released around World Tourism Day on 27th September. He said, “Now, Parliament doesn’t need to do anything for the policy, & MOT only has to release it.

According to tourism statistics report by MOT, Indian departures during January-June 2023 were 1,32,08,837. 42% of this travel was for leisure and holidays with the percentage share of the top 5 source countries being UAE, Saudai Arabia, USA, Thailand and Singapore.   

According to provisional data received from Bureau of Immigration, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during January to April 2023 reached 79 per cent of FTAs during the same period in 2019, revealed G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, in Rajya Sabha.

V. Vidyavathi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, has said that the infrastructure created at cities that hosted G20 meetings have been phenomenal. “We must keep the momentum going and attract more meetings, conventions to happen at these places, “she added.

Speaking at the side event of the 2nd TWG meeting in Siliguri, Arvind Singh, Secretary, MOT, said that the event is a great occasion to discuss, ideate possibilities to achieve the SDG’s. “The deliberations reiterate the notion that Adventure tourism can be a positive cause for achieving the 2030 sustainable development goals,” he said.

MOT organised the regional workshop on developing sustainable and responsible toruist destination, where Rakesh Verma, Addl. Sec, Tourism said. “Our key objective is to create awareness of sustainability particularly for sustainable tourism. It is important for us to understand what sustainability and sustainable tourism is. It is not only about the government, the private sector but it includes all the stakeholders who have to come together to make sure we are making a difference in future of tourism.”

Ajeet Bajaj, President, ATOAI, has said that setting up the National Board for Adventure Tourism by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, is a welcome step, “We have already had two board meetings and are gaining momentum. This inter-ministerial board with state governments’ participation will help resolve many issues pertaining to adventure tourism in India.”

In response to hotel industry’s demand for amendment in the definition of infrastructure status, Arvind Singh, Secretary, MOT said, “We are looking at changing the definition of infrastructure status for hotels to help the industry attract investment. It has the attention of the higher authorities and we will have an order on it shortly.  It is currently as per 2011 census and needs to change to accommodate the demands of hospitality business today.”

The Parliamentary Committee has advised the MOT that there is a huge potential for India to realize and aggressively advance towards attracting medical tourists from other parts of the world, including Europe and America. “India receives most of its medical tourists from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nigeria, Kenya and Iraq,” it said in its report.