Govt working with G20 nations to promote tourism in the country, says G Kishan Reddy

Srinagar: The 3rd G20 Tourism Working Group meeting was formally inaugurated in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, G. Kishen Reddy, Minister of State in the PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and over 60 delegates from 29 countries were among those who attended the event.

   

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, G. Kishen Reddy said the Government is working with all the G20 countries and other stakeholders to promote sustainable growth of the tourism sector.

   

Minister of State in the PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh said the NDA government is helping J&K on all fronts to develop the UT as the best tourist destination.

   

Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, said the UT administration has identified 300 new destinations to promote green tourism. He said the administration has been receiving massive investment proposals in the Hospitality sector. Mr Sinha informed that his administration is developing the country’s largest book village on the banks of



Wular lake, and many hiking trails for tourists who love tranquility of nature. 

The aim is to make the countryside and popular destinations more sustainable, and preserve the beauty of fascinating heritage sites.

   

India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, G20 chief coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh also addressed the gathering.

   

Later, the delegates held discussions and deliberations on greening of the tourism sector, harnessing the power of digitalization, empowering the youth with skills, nurturing tourism, MSMEs and rethinking the strategic management of destinations. The main objective was to chart out the G20 Ministers’ Declarations while interlinking these priority sectors for achieving the desired deliverables.

Two side events - one on ‘Promoting Incredible India Through Film Tourism’ and the other on ‘Ecotourism as a Vehicle to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals’ - were also held on Day Two of the three-day meeting which began yesterday.