VP Dhankhar Launches Key Initiatives at World Tourism Day 2024 Celebration

Smt. V. Vidyavathi, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, in her opening remarks, emphasized the 5Ps of Tourism—People, Place, Product, Planet, and Promotion.

On September 27, 2024, Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar presided over the World Tourism Day celebrations at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Organized by the Ministry of Tourism, the event centered around the theme of 'Tourism & Peace' and showcased India's commitment to promoting responsible and sustainable tourism.

Prominent figures in attendance included Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State Shri Suresh Gopi, and Tourism Secretary Smt. V. Vidyavathi. The event also welcomed ambassadors from various foreign missions, government officials, industry leaders, students, and winners of the 2024 Best Tourism Villages Competition. Major Initiatives Launched:

During the event, the Vice President inaugurated several key initiatives of the Ministry of Tourism:

Paryatan Mitra & Paryatan Didi: A national responsible tourism initiative targeting 50 tourist destinations.

MoUs Signing: Partnerships between 8 leading hospitality groups and 21 Central Institutes of Hotel Management.

Best Tourism Villages Competition 2024 Winners Announcement.

Industry Status Handbook: A guide for States/UTs to recognize the tourism and hospitality sector as an industry.

Incredible India Content Hub and Digital Portal: A new digital platform for promoting India as a premier tourist destination.

Address by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

Vice President Dhankhar emphasized the transformative impact of India’s infrastructure advancements on tourism, citing the doubling of airports, improved highways, and expressways that meet global standards. He linked tourism directly to economic development, social progress, and cultural exchange, highlighting its role in community development. Dhankhar also congratulated the winners of the Best Tourism Villages Competition 2024.

Address by Union Ministers

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, praised tourism as a connector of cultures and nations. He attributed the sector's recent growth to the ‘Whole of Government’ approach initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which led to significant infrastructure advancements, including new air routes, airports, high-speed trains, and over 100 completed tourism projects. Shekhawat also announced the upcoming release of a Masterlist of Tourism Destinations for Development, which will prioritize key destinations for development over the next three years through collaboration with various ministries and States/UTs. The Masterlist will also serve as a guide for private sector investments.

To further promote tourism, Shekhawat introduced the ‘Chalo India’ campaign, which encourages the Indian diaspora to become Incredible India Ambassadors. Under this campaign, the first 100,000 foreigners arriving in India will have their visa fees waived.

Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, highlighted the crucial role of air connectivity in driving tourism growth. He discussed the success of initiatives like UDAN (Regional Connectivity Scheme) and Digi Yatra, emphasizing the increase in airports and other infrastructure improvements that have boosted domestic and international tourism.

Smt. V. Vidyavathi, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, in her opening remarks, emphasized the 5Ps of Tourism—People, Place, Product, Planet, and Promotion. She highlighted the shift in tourism’s value, now increasingly associated with the experiences and interactions with local people, moving the narrative from "Incredible India" to "Incredible Indians."

This year's World Tourism Day celebration underscored India's commitment to advancing the tourism sector, creating new opportunities for growth, and fostering peace through global cultural exchange.