Category Archives: MOT

Informing about the goals for the India tourism sector for 2024, Arvind Singh, Union Tourism Secretary has said, “We will strive to recover to pre-pandemic level by mid-2024. The country is estimated to achieve US$ 50 billion GDP contribution from tourism, US$30 billion in Foreign Exchange Earnings and 15 million foreign tourist arrivals by 2024.”

Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, has just confirmed that the e-visa facility will again be available for UK nationals travelling to India. He said, “The big news today is we are rolling out e-visas once again. This servie will be made available to you forthwith. System upgrade is underway and the visa website will soon be ready to receive applications from friends in the UK.”  

G Kishan Reddy, Union Tourism Minister, distributed skill training certificate to taxi/ cab/ coach drivers under Tourism Awareness Programme, where he said, “This training programme before the G-20 summit will act as a milestone in the development of Indian tourism.”

Ministry of Tourism has written to all the travel, tourism and hospitality associations, urging them to use both the logo and the theme of the G-20 extensively by all Stakeholders of Travel Trade & Hospitality sector. “These will be used both to familiarise audience about the relevance of the G20 as well as to disseminate messaging and outcomes from the G20 as widely as possible,” stated the letter.

Sharing that MICE sector will be a key focus in the days to come for the MOT, G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister- Tourism, Culture & DoNER, said, “India will also hold an investors’ conclave in 2023 to promote global investments and MICE tourism.”

Arvind Singh, Secretary, MoT said, ‘Everybody wants to mainstream sustainability in all aspects of life, including tourism and highlighted the fact that with G20 around the corner it is important to step up our commitment towards it. He also informed that there are four tourism track meetings slated to be held during G-20. “It is the ideal time that India should take the leadership position in responsible tourism”, he added. 

Rakesh Verma, Additional Secretary, Tourism, has shared that they are looking at over ₹1000 crore to be given to the board for implementing the marketing and promotional campaigns. “It will cover different channels and the focus will be on country specific strategies and on digital platform,” he added.

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Tourism, at the ITM in Aizawl, Mizoram, shared that sustainability has been a priority for the travel, tourism, and hospitality sector for some time, but it has become even more prominent due to the pandemic. “The Government of India is now focused on promoting the move towards green tourism. Green tourism has the potential to catalyse local economies, while also minimising the environmental and social impacts,” he added.

Arvind Singh, Secretary, Tourism has said that Indian tourism industry contributes to around 4.7 percent of the country’s GDP and provides employment to around 31.8 million of inhabitants. “If tourism’s contribution is increased to 10 per cent of GDP in India, it can create 26 million new jobs,” he added.

G Kishan Reddy, Union Tourism Minister, has said that Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of DoNER and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is developing 100 view-points in North East region. “22 view-points have been taken up for development at a cost of ₹49 crores. In Mizoram 9 viewpoints have been taken up for development at the cost of 12.78 crores,” he added.