Category Archives: MOT

Acknowledging that in 2021, approach towards policy-making and implementing them will be vastly different, Union Minister for Tourism & Culture Prahlad Patel said that India’s wellness centres, Ayush hospitals offering alternative care will draw tourists post the pandemic and the ministry is in talks to tie up such centres with insurance firms so that tourists can avail insurance before arriving in India for treatment.

Ministry of Tourism’s Regional Office, Indiatourism Mumbai conducted a domestic tourism marketing campaign ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ under the theme ‘Explore Incredible India’ with a brand activation event in Reliance Mall, Borivali in Mumbai from Dec 25 until 31 Dec. Mall visitors were provided information on special promotional packages prepared by local travel agents and tour operators.  

Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of Tourism & Culture, conducted a meeting with officials of MOT on ‘Adopt A Heritage’ scheme. Officials present in the meeting included Yogendra Tripathi, Secretary, MOT; Meenakshi Sharma, Director General, MOT; and Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, MOT.

Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has shared the draft guidelines of the Champion Sector Scheme, ‘Incentive To Tour Operators For Enhancing Tourist Arrivals To India’ with the industry for their comments. The scheme is aimed towards extending financial incentives to Foreign Tour Operators (FTOs) of short haul / long haul countries or Inbound Tour Operators approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, on a pilot basis

Meenakshi Sharma, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, was on a three-day visit to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, during which she visited Uma Maheshwaram, Mannanur, Farhabad, Alampur and Hyderabad in Telangana, as well as SriSailam in Andhra Pradesh. These sites are being developed by the respective state governments under MOT’s Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD schemes.

Darpan Jain (IAS), Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoCI), has said that Rs.1000 crore have been earmarked for programmes for tourism and medical value sector under the Champion Services Sector Programme, which is being coordinated by MoCI. Around Rs. 1000 crore worth of programmes have already been approved, he informed.

Under the revised MDA Scheme for domestic tourism, financial support will be provided to not just domestic tour operators but any tourism service providers approved by the Ministry of Tourism for promotion of domestic tourism. This can include travel agents, tour operators, tourist transport operators, hoteliers, B&B units, home-stays, motels, guest houses, tented accommodation, standalone restaurants, convention centres and online aggregators. Upper ceiling for this support is Rs 1,35,000 per trip including GST.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has removed the cap on number of visitors to Centrally Protected Monuments & sites. However, the total number of visitors to be allowed per day may be decided by the Superintending Archaeologist. Selling of physical tickets (where there are problems in QR code and network) and Sound & Light shows may also be resumed.

Ministry of Tourism recently conducted its Domestic Tourism Roadshow in the western state of Goa. The chief guest at the event was Rupinder Brar, ADG, Ministry of Tourism, who shared that a complimentary development of domestic tourism is needed to further make way for an enhanced growth of international tourism.

Rupinder Brar, ADG, Ministry of Tourism, has said that they are in discussion with Quality Council of India organising the entire travel trade, on the lines of SAATHI & NIDHI hospitality platforms. “In the supply chain there are tour operators, OTAs, taxi operators and bus operators. The idea is not just to bring people into a database, but to make sure to reach out as support to the industry from the Government perspective and also to make the ecosystem safe for the future traveller. It is not only from the COVID perspective, but because a value chain needs to be created for the consumer.