Focus to be on Goa roadmap
Panaji: The last G20 tourism working group meeting along with the tourism ministerial meeting will be held from June 19 to 22 in the state.
The secretary of tourism, government of India, V. Vidyavathi, additional secretary of tourism Rakesh Verma, nodal officer of G20 Sanjit Rodrigues and other officials briefed the media on Sunday about the G20 tourism working group meeting and the tourism ministerial meeting to be held in Goa.
During the meeting, side events on crucial initiatives of cruise tourism, global tourism plastic initiative and public private sector will be held by the union ministry of tourism, on the side lines of the main tourism working group meeting, involving delegates from G20 member countries, central government ministries, various state governments and international organisations.
The union secretary of tourism informed that the two key deliverables of the tourism working group are Goa roadmap for tourism as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development goals and G20 tourism ministers’ declaration.
It was informed that the ministry of tourism has made positive progress on finalising the two key deliverables of the tourism working group.
Under India’s G20 tourism track, the tourism working group is working on five inter-connected priority areas, which are green tourism, digitalisation, skills, tourism MSMEs, and destination management. These priorities are key building blocks for accelerating the transition of the tourism sector.
During the concluding meeting, G20 member countries, invited countries, and international organisations would welcome and endorse the nearly finalised versions of both the document.
The G20 tourism working group meeting and the tourism ministerial meeting in Goa aims to strengthen economic growth, preserve cultural heritage, and promote sustainable development of the region.
This first-of-its-kind online dashboard is a testament to the commitment of leveraging tourism potential in accelerating the progress for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The public dashboard will showcase the best practices and case studies from G20 countries based on the five priorities of the G20 tourism working group.
A side event on ‘Making Cruise Tourism a Model for Sustainable & Responsible Travel’ is being organised on June 19, focusing on strategies to promote cruise tourism. The event will see the participation of G20 member countries, invited countries, international organisations, and industry stakeholders. The event will witness deliberations on the challenges and opportunities in the growth of cruise tourism globally. A panel discussion featuring speakers from G20 member countries and guest countries will shed light on country specific policies and initiatives on varied aspects of cruise tourism, its growth and need to make cruise tourism sustainable and responsible.
Along the sidelines of the main event on June 20, a national level side event is being organised which will focus on ‘Making India a Hub for Cruise Tourism’, to deliberate on various challenges and opportunities for developing cruise tourism in the country following the principles of sustainability. Multiple facets of cruise tourism (coastal, island, regional and yachting), perspectives from coastal states, private and public stakeholders in inland waterways, perspectives from riverine states will be the focus areas of discussion during the event. The event will see the participation of key states and Union Territories, industry stakeholders, national and international experts.
In addition, a side event ‘Towards a circular economy of plastics in tourism – the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative’ in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is being held on June 19.
Further, a ‘Public Private Dialogue: Importance of Travel & Tourism to the G20 Economies’ is also being co-organised by the ministry of tourism in Goa on June 21 in association with World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
A special yoga session has been planned on the occasion of International Day of Yoga on June 21, which coincides with the G20 4th tourism working group meeting and the tourism ministerial meeting by the state government. Delegates will also have the opportunity to experience the rich heritage of tourist attractions of Goa.
Excursion visits have been planned to the UNESCO world heritage sites of the state like the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Church of St. Francis of Assisi and Se Cathedral, lower Aguada Fort and Jail Museum, etc.
An art and craft bazaar is also being organised by the state government to showcase local handicrafts and artisans, signifying the importance of community participation.