Tag Archives: MoT

Foreign tourist visits to States, UTs show increasing trend

The foreign tourist visit to all States and UTs has been increasing over the years and in the year 2016,the visits by foreign tourists registered a growth of 5.92 per cent over 2015, according to a statistics report by Ministry of Tourism. The report says that number of foreign tourist visits to States/Uts during last 13 years has been registering an increasing trend overall, except for marginal decline in foreign visits in the years 2009 and 2012. The top five states in foreign tourist visits in 2016 were Tamil Nadu (4.72 million), Maharashtra(4.67million), Uttar Pradesh (31.53 million). Meanwhile, the report says that, there has been continuous increase in domestic tourist visits to States/ UTs with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.03 per cent from 1991 to 2016. The top five states in domestic tourist visits in 2016 were Tamil Nadu (343.8 million), Uttar Pradesh (211.7 million), Andhra Pradesh (153.2 million, Madhya Pradesh (150.5 million) and Karnataka (129.8 million).

Read More »

Tourism Ministry joins hands with Google to launch 360° VR video on Incredible India

The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with Google India has launched a 360° Virtual Reality (VR) experience video for the global “Incredible India” tourism campaign. Incredible India in 360 degrees takes through a journey across Hampi, Goa, Delhi and Amritsar, and will explore the places and people that make each of these iconic Indian sites incredible. Describing India as a destination of diverse experiences, KJ Alphons, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism said, “India is an iconic destination that offers unique experiences of climate, geography, culture, art, literature, and food”. The minister also said that government wants to give people in India and across the world an opportunity to immerse in our country’s rich heritage. And, through the partnership with Google, it wants to engage new and global audiences and offer them immersive content in a never-before-seen manner. The minister added that taking virtual reality to the common man at a low-free cost will further enable an increase in the tourist footfall in Iconic monuments and other tourist destinations with a focus on Museums.

Read More »

MOT sanctions over Rs 5600 crore under Swadesh Darshan

An amount of Rs 5638.87 crore has been sanctioned with release of Rs 2148.17 crore since 2014-15 till date under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism. Under the scheme, 13 thematic circuits have been identified for development namely, North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit. Meanwhile, under the PRASHAD scheme, 23 projects have been sanctioned to 15 states for a total amount of Rs 687.92 crore with release of Rs 241.28 crore since 2015-16 till date. The objective of the ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) is of holistic development of identified pilgrimage and heritage destination.

Read More »

Nearly 2 lakh hotel room deficiency for tourists in India: MOT

While the tourism sector in India has gained huge impetus in recent times, the lack of infrastructure to support the surge in tourism has now caught the eye of the sector. In a recent statement, Tourism Ministry officials have revealed that India has a shortage of nearly 2 lakh hotel rooms and is struggling to manage the acceleration in tourist arrivals. “We are plagued with a huge shortage of hotel rooms and instead of building new ones, we are trying to encourage homestays and exploring other alternatives like tying up with existing known brands with operational hotels and accrediting them,” said a senior official. The MOT is also working on creating five special tourism zones in the country so that these areas can be developed into tourist hotspots, officials said. According to a report of the working group on tourism for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), for a projected annual growth of 12 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs), the projected requirement of additional hotel rooms in 2016 over 2010, was estimated to be 1,90,108.

Read More »

Revamped Incredible India website postponed till end of January 2018

The much awaited all-new Incredible India website, which was set to go live from December 25, 2017, will now be launched in the end of January 2018. This was informed by Rashmi Verma, Secretary-Tourism, Government of India. “We could have launched the website as planned because in terms of technology, the website is ready. However, we are currently sourcing more content and images to make the website a complete solution and thus, by the third week of January, we should be ready to launch it, she said. Verma underscored various initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT). MOT is shortlisting some iconic tourist sites to develop into world-class sites in collaboration with various other ministries like Transport, Environment, Culture and Aviation. Five destinations under the Buddhist circuit are being developed with basic amenities and connectivity in collaboration with Ministry of Transport. She further added that MOT has planned to develop Special Tourism Zone and a proposal has been extended to all the states.

Read More »

Trade agencies to submit monthly digital transaction data to MOT

All travel trade agencies recognised or approved by the Ministry of Tourism are required to submit their data on digital transactions on a monthly basis, positively by the 20th of every month starting August 1, 2017 to the Ministry. The Ministry of Tourism had assigned travel trade associations including IATO, TAAI, ITTA, ADTOI and ATOAI the responsibility to promote digital transactions in the tourism sector. MOT had mailed the associations on Sept 22, 2017, regarding furnishing and submission of the same to the Ministry. The MOT will consolidate the data on digital transactions in the organised sectors for review by the PMO through the Ministry of Electronics and Information & Technology.

Read More »

₹13,922 crore foreign exchange earned in August

According to the data released by Ministry of Tourism, Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) during the month of August, 2017 were ₹13,922 crore as compared to ₹12,553 crore in August, 2016 and ₹11,411 crore in August, 2015. The growth rate in FEEs in terms of rupee during August, 2017 over August, 2016 was higher, with 10.9 per cent as compared to the growth rate of 10.0 per cent in August, 2016 over August, 2015. The FEEs during the period of January- August, 2017 was recorded at ₹1,16,004 crore, amounting to a growth of 16.5 per cent as compared to the FEEs of ₹99,587 during January-August 2016 which amounted to a growth rate of 13.9 per cent over January- August, 2015.

Read More »

MOT to launch ‘Adopt a Heritage’ campaign soon

Tourism Secretary Rashmi Verma has said that the Government of India will soon announce a new ‘Adopt a Heritage’ campaign in association with Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). With an aim to encourage the corporate and private sectors to adopt a heritage monument, the campaign will give a boost to the heritage tourism circuit through public-private partnership. Verma announced this on the sidelines of IATO Convention underway in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. She also announced the second edition of Incredible India campaign, which will be market specific and will be based on India’s thematic circuits.

Read More »

Maharashtra Tourism Minister meets Wakayama Prefecture delegates in Mumbai

The Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, Jayakumar Jitendrasinh Rawal, met the delegates from Wakayama Prefecture to discuss tourism potential between the two countries. Also present at the event were other dignitaries like Vijay Waghmare, Managing Director, MTDC, and Aashutosh Rathod, Joint Managing Director, MTDC. The international delegates included Hiroyuki Tsui, Director General, International Planning Division, Wakayama Prefecture Government, and Onishi Tatsunori, International Planning Division, Wakayama Prefecture Government. The Japanese delegates from Wakayama Prefecture also explored the well-known Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat to see the traditional way of washing clothes.

Read More »

MOT’s help desk for medical tourists to open at Mumbai airport in Oct

The Ministry of Tourism plans to introduce facilitation centers at six major airports for international patients coming to India for treatment. The first centre will open at the Mumbai airport in October. The purpose of these centers is to allow patients and their relatives, smooth passage for the treatment in the country without being approached by touts and these centers will be operational 24×7, throughout the year. The Ministry has sought help from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations. “Mumbai will be a pilot project. Depending on how it works out, centers will come up in Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad,” said Dr. K.K. Aggarwal, President, IMA and member of the ministry’s medical tourism board. Aggarwal further informed that the centers will have trained personnel who will guide patients and their relatives if they have already short-listed a hospital and will provide information about accredited hospitals in case they are yet to short-list one. “Often, when some of the patients land up undecided, they are misguided by touts. Through the centre, we can eventually eliminate the touts and avoid these patients from landing up at some quack,” said IMA member Dr. Jayesh Lele, adding that the centre will come up right after the customs clearance. The ministry also plans to have a telephone link at the counter to the Incredible India info helpline for assistance while dealing with persons in need of language services. Source: The Hindu

Read More »
error: Content is protected !!