SME Times News Bureau | 18 Sep, 2018
Union Minister for Railways and Coal, Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 'first ever'
India Tourism Mart (ITM 2018) in New Delhi on Monday.
The India Tourism Mart is being organized by the Ministry of
Tourism from 16th to 18th September 2018, in partnership
with the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH)
and with support of State /UT Governments.
The function was held in presence of the Secretary, other
senior officials of Tourism Ministry and Chairman/members of FAITH and also
delegates from India and across the world.
Inaugurating the event, Goyal wished the best to the
Tourism Ministry to reach the ambitious goal of US$100 billion FTA
receipts/year within 5 years.
The Minister said that unless the
infrastructure/fundamentals are set up, India can't come up as a well sought
after destination and he said that the present government has been developing
these like ensuring 24 hour power supply, promoting renewable energy forms, and
improving connectivity by effectively connecting the remotest destinations.
The Minister also added that the most important element that
will help promote Tourism in a complete way is the Government’s cleanliness
drive, the Swachhta Abhiyan, which will ensure India becoming a preferred
destination for all international tourists.
Mentioning the income multiplier effect in the Tourism
sector, the Minister said that Tourism generates a number of employment
opportunities in formal and informal sectors and can change the destiny of the
country.
The Railway Minister added that the youth of the country can
be entrepreneurs, service providers, interpreters etc in the sector and
ascertained that India with its varied features has tremendous potential and we
just need to leverage from it.
Speaking at the event, Tourism Minister K J Alphon announced that ITM
will be an annual event hereafter in line with other International Tourism Marts
and it will be held in the month of September.
The Minister said that India is so vast that there will be
something new for everyone to see and experience in this country with its
varied geography, culture, traditions, architectural marvels, religions.
He also added that visiting the country has become easier
with the new e-visa regime which is now open to 166 countries.