Incredible India - Tourism places

[GodToons]

Last week went to Kashmir for 2 weeks. uploading few pics.

Some pics from the vacation in Kashmir
View media item 17608View media item 17607View media item 17606View media item 17605View media item 17604View media item 17603

 

[swnjo]

Not a tourism video but there will be no visitors if we don`t take of our surroundings.

 

[HariPrasad]

there are many nice beaches in india but why do only beaches in goa and kerala get highlighted?

i was blown away by a picturesque beach in andhra pradesh

here is the video

Here is a beach near my office.

Haven't been to India yet, but Taj Mahal and Hyderabad are on my go-to list

Ok but there are many better things to see.

A temple in Gujarat.

 

[Nike]

Here is a beach near my office.

Ok but there are many better things to see.

A temple in Gujarat.

Look like water boom

 

[Bitter Melon]

Look at how beautiful Agra and Jodhpur look in these videos. Swatch Bharat campaign is working wonders and India is cleaning up.

Why are the youtube video links not visible? I just posted 2 of them in the post above.

 

[RIP Pak LAW]

Here is a beach near my office.

Ok but there are many better things to see.

A temple in Gujarat.

woow , the temple looks more like a water park

 

[HariPrasad]

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.thehindu.com/news/natio...tone-mining/article24726476.ece?homepage=true


Dark underbelly of Guntur’s illegal limestone mining

KONANKI (andhra pradesh), August 18, 2018 19:57 IST
Updated: August 18, 2018 20:00 IST

The natural white limestone is used in paints, floor tiles and cements. | Photo Credit: T. Vijaya Kumar


Last month’s High Court order has temporarily halted the rampant quarrying of precious mineral resource at huge cost to the exchequer
The muddy road to the limestone quarries at Konanki village near Piduguralla town, 65 km away from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh is littered with chips of shimmering white stone.

Anjaneyulu, 65, a farmer from Bodhanam village, trudges past the vast expanse of natural white limestone blocks along the railway tracks. He was cultivating chilli on his 1.5 acre farm till 2011, when Bodhanam was included in the list of eight villages downstream of the Pulichintala project. The village was eventually submerged in 2013.

With a house in Konanki’s Pulichintala Relief and Rehabilitation Colony, he now makes a living rearing four buffaloes.

Battered land: Seetharamapuram in Guntur’s Piduguralla mandal has been hit hard by indiscriminate quarrying of limestone. Officials say 31 lakh tonnes of limestone have been quarried since 2000. | Photo Credit: T. Vijaya Kumar

“We were never allowed on this road till the last week of July. Hundreds of tractors and lorries used to ply on this road carrying white stone. We used to spend sleepless nights due to the deafening noise of blasting explosives,” recalls Mr. Anjaneyulu.

Severe strictures passed by the High Court late last month on a PIL petition filed by former MLC TVG Krishna Reddy in 2016, seeking action against the illegal mining, has put a stop to the plunder of resources in Palnadu.

On July 25, a division bench of the High Court led by Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan not only passed severe strictures against the State government but also impleaded the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Union Mining Ministry in the case. The next hearing is scheduled for August 21.

Gurazala TDP MLA Yerapathaneni Srinivasa Rao, a respondent in the PIL petition filed by Mr. Krishna Reddy, now faces allegations of masterminding the illegal mining of white stone and limestone at Konanki and Kesanupalli villages in Piduguralla and Dachepalli mandals.

Exploitation unchecked

For years, the vast expanse of natural white limestone under the earth has been excavated by local people. The pulverised stone was used as an essential feed in poultry farms, as a component in paints and distemper, and as aggregate in floor tiles.

In 1959, the A.P. government issued 20-year leases to the Associated Cement Companies Ltd. for land at Konanki and Piduguralla villages.

By 1994, the total land leased out to the company stood at 644.11 acres. ACC, which used the white limestone at its Krishna Cement Factory in Vijayawada later stopped mining following the closure of the cement factory. Subsequently, when applications for renewal of mining leases were rejected, the gates were thrown open for illegal mining.

What began as small operations by local communities soon attained monstrous proportions. Huge quantities of explosives were used to open up the veins and earth movers lifted huge blocks of limestone.

The boom came after the 2014 elections. A tonne of white stone costs ₹500 in the open market with the Mining Department getting ₹67 as seigniorage fees per tonne. However, locals say an average of 120 tractors, each carrying a load of four tonnes, used to ply on the road to Konanki every day in illegal operations.

In 2011, the ex-sarpanch of Konanki village, Annapureddy Hanimi Reddy, wrote to the then Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy seeking directions to curb the rampant illegal mining.

With no action forthcoming, Mr. Hanimi Reddy filed a complaint in 2015 with the Lok Ayukta, who in turn asked the Director of Investigations to inquire into the issue. In a scathing report in 2016, the Director of Investigations, K. Narasimha Reddy indicted the district administration and the Mines and Geology Department. Mr. Reddy also said the District Collector, who heads the district task force on illegal mining, had failed to take action against the local MLA in spite of the high court order in PIL no 228/2015.

Another local K. Guravachari filed yet another PIL petition after which the court issued an order asking the “concerned authorities to assess the loss caused to the public exchequer through illegal mining/quarrying and see that a liability can be fixed and loss in terms of royalty with penalty within six months.” The order again went unheeded.

“The MLA (Yerapathaneni Srinivasa Rao) and his henchmen used to collect ₹1,000 per tractor every day at an unauthorised check post on the road leading to the mine. Even if 100 tractors operate every day, the collection used to be around ₹1 lakh per day,” alleges Mr. Hanimi Reddy.

In a blatant violation of mining regulations, there was indiscriminate use of explosives in a Maoist-affected area without the mandatory checks. Regulations mandate that explosives and detonators should be procured only from licensed explosive dealers and the blasting supervised by a certified blaster.

The loss caused to the public exchequer could run into hundreds of crores of rupees, say experts.

Mr. Yerapathaneni Srinivasa Rao is considered a strongman in the ruling TDP and remains vital to its fortunes in the region. Nearly three weeks after the HC order, the MLA asserted at a press conference in Guntur that he had no role in illegal mining.

Satellite evidence

During the hearing, Mr. Krishna Reddy produced satellite images from the National Remote Sensing Centre to gauge the extent of the pillage. The Digital Elevation Models (DEM) of the surface and volumetric change estimates revealed that 28.92 lakh metric tonnes of precious white limestone had been excavated causing huge loss to the exchequer.

Following the July 25 HC order, District Collector Kona Sasidhar asked the Revenue and Mining departments to conduct a fresh survey of lands and estimate the quantity of minerals excavated.

His August 14, 2018 report stated that 31.30 lakh metric tonnes of white stone and limestone have been illegally excavated in Konanki village of Piduguralla mandal and Kesanupalli and Nadikudi villages of Dachepalli mandals, causing huge loss to the government in seigniorage fees, royalty and penalty.

Following the report, the State government ordered a CB-CID inquiry. Director General of Police R.P. Thakur announced a Special Investigation Team into the illegal mining.

Based on a report by the Assistant Director of Mines, Dachepalli, B. Jagannadha Rao, cases were filed against 17 persons — 11 persons in Piduguralla and six persons in Dachepalli. Local leaders however, pointed out that most of the accused were from poor families lured by money and promised a safe exit by the MLA.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Home Affairs
23-August, 2018 12:19 IST
Shri Kiren Rijiju interacts with school children from Arunachal Pradesh

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju met a group of 10 students from Bomdila (Arunachal Pradesh), here today. The students are on an Excursion tour, being organized by 2nd Arunachal Scouts, from 20th August-2nd September, 2018. In Delhi, the students have visited India Gate and will also see various historical placed such as President’s House, Qutub Minar, Humayun Tomb and Lal Quila, among others. The students will also travel to Dehradun and Lucknow where they will visit Forest Research Institute (FRI), Indian Military Academy (IMA) and other places.

During his address to the students, Shri Kiren Rijiju said that they should share the experience of their visit to National Capital and other historical places with their fellow students and families, when they return to their state after the conclusion of this tour. The Minister added that the students should take advantage of this opportunity and educate themselves by increasing their knowledge about these places.

Shri Rijiju said that the students should participate in the extra-curricular activities which will be helpful to them in having varied experiences. He also emphasised that the students should focus on understanding and acquiring knowledge while studying a particular subject. He added that these days the students have access to study material due to reach of internet, TV and newspapers, the advantage of which was not available earlier. He encouraged them to be well-equipped with knowledge and confidence to excel in this competitive world.

The Minister appreciated the Arunachal Scouts for organising this tour, which will not only educate these students, but will also help in boosting their confidence. He further said that our forces are not only working towards maintaining peace and security in the country, but also contributing to the society by giving exposure to the students from far flung areas by organising tours of this nature.

Shri Kiren Rijiju wished the students happiness and success for their future.



******

 

[BHarwana]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1033852774214184961

 

[kmc_chacko]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1033852774214184961

It way beyond mans capacity to count rituals and traditions in India

 

[Hindustani78]

Photos: Conservationist Vava Suresh tackles flood-hit Kerala’s snake menace
Aug 30, 2018 11:28 IST

• 
  

3/7
He has attended over 50 cases ever since the floods started in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts. A number of calls he gets are out of panic, “People are scared even at the sight of a hammer-head worm. They think that’s a poisonous snake and call me in panic,” he said adding, “They are so harmless.” (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

3/7
An expert in snake matters, Suresh says this is the breeding season for common water snake. He has also performed more than 200 operations on snakes, curing the injured ones before releasing them in the wild. His thatched two-room house in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram city is full of ailing snakes. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

3/7
Hospitals have readied anti-venom and flood victims returning home in Kerala have been told to stay alert as receding waters leave behind a glut of snakes. After several cases of snakes being found inside houses, Vava Suresh, a well-known snake handler, has been brought in. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

3/7
Suresh, popularly known as Vava Suresh is a wildlife conservationist and a snake expert. He is widely known for rescuing snakes from human habitat in Kerala. After the floods the number of calls have also increased, “I got some 22 calls but most of them were not poisonous snakes. Caught some five cobras in different parts of Ernakulam on August 22, 2018,” Suresh said. (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

3/7
He has attended over 50 cases ever since the floods started in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts. A number of calls he gets are out of panic, “People are scared even at the sight of a hammer-head worm. They think that’s a poisonous snake and call me in panic,” he said adding, “They are so harmless.” (Raj K Raj / HT Photo)

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
14-September, 2018 16:39 IST
Shri. Rajnath Singh to inaugurate 12 day long Paryatan Parv this Sunday

India Tourism Mart 2018 to be inaugurated by Shri Piyush Goyal on 17th September 2018

The Paryatan Parv 2018 will be inaugurated by Union Home Minister Shri. Rajnath Singh at Rajpath Lawns, New Delhi, on 16th September 2018 at 06.00 PM in presence of the Minister of State (IC) for Tourism, Shri. K.J. Alphons ,announced Smt. Rashmi Verma, Union Tourism Secretary today. The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in collaboration with other Central Ministries, State Governments and Stakeholders is organizing the second edition of “Paryatan Parv”, a nation-wide celebration of Tourism, from the 16th to 27th September, 2018.



The Secretary while briefing the media also said that the Union Minister for Railways Shri Piyush Goyal will be formally inaugurating the ‘first ever’ India Tourism Mart (ITM) on 17th September, 2018 at Ashok Hotel, New Delhi. The Tourism Ministry will organize the India Tourism Mart (ITM) from 16th to 18th September, 2018 in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with the support of State /UT Governments. Smt. Verma said that ITM will be an annual event hereafter in line with other International Tourism Marts and the Ministry will be releasing a calendar of ITM schedule for next 5 years so to ensure wider participation.

Smt. Rashmi Verma added that the previous events like Paryatan Parv has helped in the strong growth of Tourism sector which was visible in the 18% growth of Domestic Tourist Visits in 2017. The secretary also added that more than 3100 events are being organized in collaboration with other Central Ministries and States during this year’s Paryatan Parv ranging from Yoga demonstrations, Cultural evenings, Photography competitions, Food/Cuisine stalls etc.

Paryatan Parv 2018

Paryatan Parv is being organized with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of “Tourism for All”. The three components of Paryatan Parv, are:


· Dekho Apna Desh: To encourage Indians to visit their own country.

There are several activities to be organised across the Country like Photography contest covering tourism attractions and experiences, promotion on Social Media, Tourism related Quiz, Essay, Debate and Painting Competitions for Students. General public engagement for the event will be promoted through the MyGov platform.

· Tourism for All: Tourism Events at sites across all States in the country are being organised. The activities at these sites will include illumination in and around the Sites, Cultural Programmes of Dance, Music, Theatre, Story Telling, Sensitisation Programmes for Stakeholders around the Sites, Tourism Exhibitions, Showcasing Culture, Cuisine and Handicrafts / Handlooms, Guided Heritage Walks, etc.

· Tourism & Governance: Interactive Sessions & Workshops with Stakeholders on varied themes will be organised across the Country

The highlights of the event in Rajpath Lawns, New Delhi will be:


· 18 Theme Pavilions of States

· Food Court with 54 Food Stalls

· Kitchen Studio by IHM

· Crafts Bazaar with 76 Handicraft & Handloom Stalls

· Cultural Performances by States / UTs and North Zone Cultural Centre

· Yoga Demo, Training and Therapy by Morarji Desai national Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush

· Exhibition on the theme “Saaf Niyat Sahi Vikas” by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

· Other Interactive Activities to keep visitors engaged



Other Participating Central Ministries / Departments and agencies include:

Ministry of Ayush, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (Nehru Yuva Kendras), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Textiles (DC – Handicrafts, DC – Handlooms), Ministry of Tribal Affairs (TRIFED), Department of Higher Education Department of School Education & Literacy, ITDC – AIHTM, IHM – PUSA, DIHM, NASVI (National Association of Street Vendors of India) and Mother Dairy.


All India Activities


· Activities across 32 States / UTs

Andaman & Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal.


· Over 3150 activities and events during the 12-day event

Awareness & Sensitization Programmes, Workshops & Seminars, Cleanliness Drives, Competitions, Cultural Programmes, Tourism & Handicraft Exhibitions, Food Festivals, Yoga Demos, Tourism Runs & Rallies, Heritage Walks, Adventure Activities, Tree Plantation Drives, Illumination of Monuments & Railway Stations, Focus on Role of Youth in Tourism, Vocational & Skill Training Programmes, Excursion Tours for Students, Nukkad-Natak on Tourism & Cleanliness Themes, Promotion of Environment Friendly Measures, etc.

In addition, the mega event will see active participation by Cultural Associations and Organisations, Travel & Hospitality Industry, Institutes of Hotel Management, Indian Institutes of Tourism & Travel Management, Service Providers, Students and Youth and the Local Population.



India Tourism Mart 2018

The Tourism Ministry in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with the support of State /UT Governments will organize the ITM 2018 from 16th to 18th September, 2018 at the Ashok Hotel , New Delhi.

India Tourism Mart (ITM) is the first time that the Tourism industry stakeholders are coming together for such a large scale event and with Ministry’s support. FAITH is the apex organization of all the important trade and hospitality associations of the country with all the 10 major Tourist organizations like FHRAI, HAI, IATO being involved in this mega event and India Convention Promotion Board (ICPB)is coordinating the whole event. This is a Business to Business Event. The objective of the event is to create an annual Global Tourism Mart for India in line with major international travel marts being held in countries across the world. The Mart will provide a platform for all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries to interact and transact business opportunities.

The ITM 2018 will see participation of around 225 hosted international buyers and Media personnel across the world such as North America, West Europe, East Asia, Latin America, CIS countries etc. The international delegates from overseas markets will interact with Indian seller delegates and the buyers will include current buyers who are already selling India as well as potential buyers who are not selling India at present but have shown interest in the country. The event will also provide an opportunity to the buyers to see the world class tourism facilities available in our country such as Airports, Hotels, Tourist destinations, upcoming facilities, MICE facilities, possibility in the field of adventure tourism and other niche products.

Around 225 stalls will be provided to the sellers to enable them to interact with the buyers. These will include pavilion for States & Union Territories to showcase their unique tourism destinations and products. The B2B meetings between buyer and seller delegates will be held on 17th and 18th September, 2018.

The FAITH and State Governments will offer pre and post event FAM trips (Familiarization trips) for the buyer delegates from overseas.

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
16-September, 2018 19:58 IST
Paryatan Parv by M/o Tourism inaugurated by Shri Rajnath Singh

Paryatan Parv will provide a great momentum to the Tourism Sector in India: Home Minister

The ‘Paryatan Parv’ by the Ministry of Tourism was inaugurated by Shri Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister, in presence of Shri K.J. Alphons, Union Minister for Tourism, Smt. Rashmi Verma, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and other dignitaries from participating Central Ministries and State Governmentsat Rajpath Lawns, New Delhi, today. This is the second edition of “Paryatan Parv”, a nation-wide celebration of Tourism, from the 16th to 27th September, 2018.

Inaugurating the Parv, Shri Rajnath Singh said that India is the only country where all major religions of the world, diverse culture, customs and cuisinesare found and, we should see and experience this Incredible India. The Home Minister added that the Government has ensured ‘ease of travel’ through various steps like simplificationof process of e-tourist visa application. The Minister also urged Indians to visit various places in the country and thereby understand its rich and varied culture & heritage, also enjoy its natural beauty.

Speaking at the event the Shri K J Alphons said that Indians have made 1.8 billion domestic trips in the last year and added that the Ministry is aiming for double these visits in next 3 years. The Tourism Minister also called upon everyone to see, experience and get transformed by travelling across India.

During the Inaugural function the Home Minister also released the Paryatan Parv event calendar.The Ministry of Tourism also signed the MoU with Apeejay Group of Hotels and V Resorts for adoption of JantarMantar, New Delhi and Surajkund, Haryana, respectively, under its Adopt-a-Heritage scheme. The Home Minister handed over the MoUs and also 9 Letters of Intent for adoption of several other monuments, under the scheme, was also issued to nine companies.

The highlights of the event in Rajpath Lawns, New Delhi are the participation of a record number of 32 States / UT’s who have put up their best foot forward, which include18 Theme Pavilions, a Food Court with 54 Stalls, bringing in the cuisine from across India; a Kitchen Studio by Institute of Hotel Management, Delhi, Crafts Bazaar with 76 Handicraft & Handloom Stalls, Yoga Demo& Training, Performances by Armed Forces Bands and an Exhibition on the theme “SaafNiyatSahiVikas” by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

The 250 delegates from 60 countries, participating in the International Tourism Mart, organized by the Ministry of Tourism, also had an opportunity to savour the flavour of the IncredibleIndia on showcase at the Rajpath Lawns.

Over 3150 activities and events are taking place across the country during the 12-day event.

Paryatan Parv events across the country today:

Various Paryatan Parv activities began across the country along with Delhi today with The Patliputra Heritage Walk, flagged off from the Patna Museum premises at 7 am by the Commissioner, Patna Division, tourism service providers, Stakeholders and tourism students. The Walk organized by India Tourism Patna, covered important heritage sites of Patna like Patna Museum, Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha’s House, SikandarManzil, Gandhi Statue, Gandhi Museum, Gandhi Shivir and GolGhar.

Earlier in the day, India Tourism Kolkata, along with IHM, Kolkata and other stakeholders organized a Heritage Walk, from iconic Victoria Memorial Hall after a Swachhata activity, walking through the famous Queensway, Cathedral Road, Chowringhee covering Heritage monuments like St. Paul’s Cathedral, Kolkata Race Course and Indian Museum.

India Tourism Delhi, in association with Yes Global Institute & INTACH, organized a Cycling & heritage walk in Lutyens, New Delhi, with the message, ‘Save the environment, be healthy and let others be healthy’.

*********

JP/NK

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh lighting the lamp to inaugurate the countrywide Paryatan Parv, in New Delhi on September 16, 2018. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam and the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Smt. Rashmi Verma are also seen.

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh releasing the event calendar at the inauguration of the countrywide Paryatan Parv, in New Delhi on September 16, 2018. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam, the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Smt. Rashmi Verma and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh handing over the MoU and Letters of Intent to the companies under ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, at the inauguration of the countrywide Paryatan Parv, in New Delhi on September 16, 2018. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam and the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Smt. Rashmi Verma are also seen.

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh handing over the MoU and Letters of Intent to the companies under ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, at the inauguration of the countrywide Paryatan Parv, in New Delhi on September 16, 2018. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam, the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Smt. Rashmi Verma and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh addressing at the inauguration of the countrywide Paryatan Parv, in New Delhi on September 16, 2018. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam, the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Smt. Rashmi Verma and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam addressing at the inauguration of the countrywide Paryatan Parv, in New Delhi on September 16, 2018

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh playing the drum at the inauguration of the countrywide Paryatan Parv, in New Delhi on September 16, 2018. The Minister of State for Tourism (I/C), Shri Alphons Kannanthanam, the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Smt. Rashmi Verma and other dignitaries are also seen.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Tourism
17-September, 2018 18:04 IST
Shri Piyush Goyal inaugurates the first ever India tourism Mart 2018

Tourism sector can change the destiny of India: Shri Piyush Goyal India is among the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world: Shri K J Alphons

The Union Minister for Railways and Coal, Shri Piyush Goyal inaugurated the ‘first ever’ India Tourism Mart (ITM 2018) in the presence of Union Tourism Minister, Shri K J Alphons and the Tourism Minister of Morocco, Mr. Mohamed Sajid, in New Delhi today. The India Tourism Mart is being organized by the Ministry of Tourism from 16th to 18th September 2018, in partnership with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) and with support of State /UT Governments. The function was held in presence of the Secretary, other senior officials of Tourism Ministry and Chairman/members of FAITH and also delegates from India and across the world.

Inaugurating the event, Shri Piyush Goyal wished the best to the Tourism Ministry to reach the ambitious goal of US$100 billion FTA receipts/year within 5 years. The Minister said that unless the infrastructure/fundamentals are set up, India can’t come up as a well sought after destination and he said that the present government has been developing these like ensuring 24 hour power supply, promoting renewable energy forms, and improving connectivity by effectively connecting the remotest destinations. The Minister also added that the most important element that will help promote Tourism in a complete way is the Government’s cleanliness drive, the Swachhta Abhiyan, which will ensure India becoming a preferred destination for all international tourists. Mentioning the income multiplier effect in the Tourism sector, the Minister said that Tourism generates a number of employment opportunities in formal and informal sectors and can change the destiny of the country. The Railway Minister added that the youth of the country can be entrepreneurs, service providers, interpreters etc in the sector and ascertained that India with its varied features has tremendous potential and we just need to leverage from it.

Speaking at the event, the Tourism Minister announced that ITM will be an annual event hereafter in line with other International Tourism Marts and it will be held in the month of September. The Minister said that India is so vast that there will be something new for everyone to see and experience in this country with its varied geography, culture, traditions, architectural marvels, religions. Shri Alphons also added that visiting the country has become easier with the new e-visa regime which is now open to 166 countries.

India Tourism Mart (ITM) is being held for the first time and the Tourism industry stakeholders are coming together for such a large scale event with Ministry’s support. FAITH is the apex organization of all the important trade and hospitality associations of the country with all the 10 major Tourist organizations like FHRAI, HAI, IATO being involved in this mega event and India Convention Promotion Board (ICPB) is coordinating the whole event. This is a Business to Business Event. The objective of the event is to create an annual Global Tourism Mart for India in line with major international travel marts being held in countries across the world. The Mart provides a platform for all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industries to interact and transact business opportunities.

The ITM 2018 has a participation of around 225 hosted international buyers and Media personnel across the world such as North America, West Europe, East Asia, Latin America, CIS countries etc. The international delegates from overseas markets will interact with Indian seller delegates and the buyers will include current buyers who are already marketing India as a tourist destination as well as potential buyers who are not marketing India as a tourist destination at present but have shown interest in the country. The event also provides an opportunity to the buyers to see the world class tourism facilities available in our country such as Airports, Hotels, Tourist destinations, upcoming facilities, MICE facilities, possibility in the field of adventure tourism and other niche products.

Around 225 stalls have been provided to the sellers to enable them to interact with the buyers. These include pavilion for States & Union Territories to showcase their unique tourism destinations and products. The B2B meetings between buyer and seller delegates are being held during these 3 days.

The FAITH and State Governments is also offering a pre and post event FAM trips (Familiarization trips) for the buyer delegates from overseas.

*****

NB/JP/PS