Union Minister for Tourism Shri G. Kishan Reddy presided over a virtual function organized today to observe the National Tourism Day. The event was dedicated to the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ being celebrated to mark 75 years of India’s independence. Among other dignitaries who graced the occasion were four Union Secretaries – Shri Upendra Prasad Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Smt. Leena Nandan,Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture. Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Shri G. Asok Kumar, also participated in the discussion. Shri Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group and Col. Manoj Keshwar, a world explorer and motorcycle adventurer also joined the two-hour long virtual event.
The Government announced various fiscal and relief measures to benefit the Tourism Industry like providing financial support to more than 11,000 registered Tourist Guides & Travel and Tourism Stakeholders as well as issuing 5 Lakh free Tourist Visas. India has reached the historic milestone of administering 150 crore vaccine doses to citizens and started 2022 on a high note by expanding the ambit to include children in the 15-17 age bracket.
The Government is taking cognizance of Rural Tourism – one of the areas in which India can excel. Recently, Pochampally village in Telangana was selected as one of the best Tourism Villages in the world by the United Nations World Tourism Organization for its crafts, reforms, and historical significance out of the three nominations namely Ladhpura Khas in Madhya Pradesh, Kongthong village in Meghalaya, and Pochampally village in Telangana, submitted by the Ministry of Tourism. The Ministry of Tourism proposes to organize a physical event at Pochampally, after the pandemic situation improves. Rural tourism can help to disperse tourism in highly populated countries; this directs tourists away from some of the more well-known, busy areas and provides work opportunities and economic activity in alternative areas.
Celebrating the National Tourism Day virtually
