Published on : Friday, September 28, 2018
Speaking on the occasion, the tourism minister said that India has taken remarkable strides in the field of tourism during the last four years of the government and added that tourism is the cornerstone of the Indian economy now, as it is a major source of employment and foreign exchange. Alphons said that in order to tap the full potential of this sector, tourism industry needs to join hands.
Congratulating the awardees, Alphons also said that the tourism sector needs to improve its hospitality services since hospitality offered in India is the distinguishing feature of the country, giving it an edge over other countries. He also added that it is the responsibility of every citizen to build the image of the country as a safe destination for anyone willing to travel.
The minister also announced that India will be the host country for official World Tourism Day celebrations for the UNWTO in 2019. The theme for the World Tourism Day 2018 being “Tourism & Digital Transformation”, the minister said that the various digital initiatives taken by the ministry in harnessing technology for tourism promotion, include launching of a new Incredible India website; 24 X7 chat bot interface on this website; launch of a new website on Buddhism in India along with other initiatives.
Alphons also said that Kerala is now ready to receive tourists with the hotels and tourist sites now operational. He also added that the state is rapidly recovering from the disaster and that the tourism industry needs to support the state’s tourism sector.
Tags: National Tourism Awards