Tag Archives: Ministry of Tourism

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Tourism, GoI, held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Azzan Qassim Mohamed Al Busaidi, Under Secretary, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Oman, in Delhi. The meeting aimed to boost tourism between the two countries, fostering cultural ties.

Mugdha Sinha, a 1999 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed as the new Director General, Ministry of Tourism. Before this, she was the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture and has replaced Manisha Saxena, IAS (AGMUT:96), who is now the Additional Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Sinha was the first woman officer to be posted as ADM-1 (Additional District Magistrate) in Jaipur, second-in-command to the Collector. She also served in the CM’s office for two years.

A visa-on-arrival facility is available to citizens of Japan, South Korea, and the UAE if they are visiting India for tourism, business, conference, and medical purposes. This visa is valid for 60 days with the flexibility of double entry, said MOT. However, it is available only at 6 designated airports: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai.

Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, MOT, has said that India could have one taskforce that looks at the ‘macro side’ picture, but there is also a need to have four or five taskforces that work on sector-specific issues. “I think there is a clear case for making four or five taskforces, but we will figure out how to structure them,” he said.

Speaking at the ‘Bodhi Yatra’ conclave, V Vidyavathi, Secretary, MOT, GoI, said, “Govt of India in collaboration with the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh aims to not only create a memorable experience for the Buddhist pilgrims but also ensure the development and better employment opportunities for the local communities. We are also keen to enhance the infrastructure and amenities of Buddhist Museums in the state as they are a living source of history.”

Speaking about MICE, Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Tourism, said, “It is a big opportunity and there is a need to bring the biggest conferences of the world here, to show the size of India’s offerings. With world-class conferencing infrastructure like Bharat Mandapam, we need to look at how we can utilise those to get more conferences in India.”

Attending the 10th Anniversary of International Yoga Day at the iconic Qutub Minar in Delhi, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism, GOI, said, “India has taught ‘Yoga’ to the world. It is a part of our cultural identity. This day has completed a decade today.” He gave the message of including it in daily routine for a healthy lifestyle.

India’s foremost offering in tourism is culture and heritage but as a sub-continent, we have a lot to offer. Manisha Saxena, DG, Tourism, said, “We want to make wildlife a big tourism offering. We need to segment the offerings not only to the traditional source markets but have to identify newer ones as Southeast Asia and others.”

Manisha Saxena, DG, MOT India, “India has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable tourism. In line with PM Modi’s ‘Mission Life,’ MOT has come up with a sectorial programme, ‘Travel for Life.’ It aims to  encourage tourists and tourism businesses to adopt sustainable practices and mindful approach in managing the resources.”  

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is the new Union Minister for Tourism & Culture. Suresh Gopi, first BJP MP from Kerala, is the new Minister of State of Tourism. Hailing from Rajasthan, Shekhawat was earlier serving as Union Cabinet Minister in Ministry of Jal Shakti. He is a member of parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party representing Jodhpur in the Lok Sabha