Tuesday, December 12, 2023
The Indian Ministry of Tourism has launched the “Destination Based Capacity Building” program, aimed at training and upgrading skills of local people and service providers near tourism sites to promote sustainable tourism in India. This initiative enables those who can’t afford to travel to cities for training to receive it locally. So far, over 12,000 individuals have been trained through more than 150 sessions held at various tourist spots nationwide.
In a bid to establish India as a top choice for sustainable and responsible tourism, the Ministry has developed a National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism, which focuses on several key areas:
The Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM) has been appointed as the Central Nodal Agency for Sustainable Tourism (CNA-ST) to support the Ministry in executing this strategy.
Under the “Domestic Promotion and Publicity including Hospitality” scheme, the Ministry provides financial support of up to ₹50 lakhs to State Governments and up to ₹30 lakhs to Union Territory Administrations for organizing fairs, festivals, and tourism-related events. The scheme covers various expenses like creating semi-permanent structures, marketing materials, artist remuneration, and event logistics.
Although there’s no specific provision for special arrangements for tourists to attend local festivals and cultural fairs, State Governments ensure adequate tourist protection.
Additionally, under schemes like “Swadesh Darshan”, “PRASHAD” (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive), and “Assistance to Central Agencies”, the Ministry offers financial assistance for developing tourism infrastructure at various destinations.
To promote IT adoption in tourism, the Ministry provides financial aid to State and UT Governments for incorporating technology in tourism services like information facilitation, marketing, and publicity. This assistance covers up to 50% of IT project costs for States or UTs, capped annually at 90% of the total project cost or ₹50 lakhs, whichever is lower.
This update was provided by the Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and DoNER, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, in the Lok Sabha today.
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