India wants to be a $1 trillion tourism economy with 100 million international visitors by 2047, the centenary year of its Independence, the government said on April 2.
In order to achieve this, the focus is being put on various government-led initiatives under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, Union Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy said addressing the second G-20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in Siliguri.
Mr. Reddy said the vision of the second G-20 TWG meeting was to project domestic tourism in a mission mode. “It will also make India maximise its potential in the tourism sector,” he added.
In order to give impetus to the tourism sector this year, the government is observing ‘Vision India-2023’, a programme which invites the world to explore India, he said.
The Union Minister also said at the first G-20 TWG meeting hosted in the Rann of Kutch, more than 200 Buddhists monasteries, 40 UNESCO-listed world heritage sites, State and national archaeological sites, living temples, and prayer centres had been highlighted.
“Priority was given to green tourism, digitalisation, skilling, tourism MSMEs and destination management,” he said.
Mr. Reddy also informed that two mega adventure tourism trails would be launched in the Himalayas and the Ganga this year. “The Ministry will work with States and industries for development of the two trails in 2023,” he said.
These trails would be followed by others like the Narmada trail from Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh to Arabian sea, Cauvery river trail, West Coast trail from Kutch to Kanyakumari, and East Coast trail from West Bengal to Kanyakumari.
Observing that India’s topography makes the country an ideal destination for sustainable adventure tourism, the government is giving it a major push, he added.
