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New Delhi. ‘World Tourism Day’, celebrated internationally on 27 September every year, is witnessing double happiness and historic achievements for India this time. India, which has historically been the center of cultural and spiritual heritage, has in the last few years changed its tourism policy to a model of ‘modern infrastructure’, ‘digital accessibility’ and ‘experiential tourism’. From the simplified system of electronic visa (e-Visa) to the expansion of coastal and inland cruise hubs, India has established itself as the most preferred and accessible destination for global tourists. Let us know the 10 most important and transformative facts related to World Tourism Day and India’s tourism boom.
The official global theme of World Tourism Day this year by the United Nations World Tourism Organization is “Reengineering Tourism with a Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence” (Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism) has been kept. This theme reflects how technology and data analytics are making the tourism sector smart, inclusive and eco-friendly. India has showcased many cutting-edge technological initiatives in this direction on the global stage, from Bharat Mandapam to Digital Heritage Guide.
India’s e-Visa system has become one of the world’s most successful models for making international tourist travel hassle-free. This digital facility, which started with only 43 countries in 2014, has now expanded to more than 170 countries Available to citizens of. Under this, e-Tourist, e-Business, e-Medical and e-Conference visas are issued online from the comfort of your home, which are validated at more than 30 international airports and major ports.
India is poised to become Asia’s top cruise hub by making strategic use of its 7,500 km long coastline. of central government ‘Cruise India Mission’ And ‘Maritime India Vision 2030’ Under this, world-class international cruise terminals have been modernized in Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai, Goa and Visakhapatnam.
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Introduction of e-Group Visa: A special 30-day multiple-entry ‘e-Group Visit Visa’ facility has been launched for international cruise operators and passengers, allowing foreign cruise passengers to get instant immigration clearance through QR code at Indian ports.
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Jump in number of ships: The target of increasing the number of international and domestic cruise calls in the country to 1,000 annual calls is fast being realised.
Along with coastal tourism, India has made its inland waterways the backbone of tourism. Running from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam (via Bangladesh) ‘MV Ganga Vilas’ (MV Ganga Vilas) has made the record of the world’s longest river journey (about 3,200 km). River cruises operating in the Ganga, Brahmaputra and backwaters of Kerala have opened new doors of rural and eco-tourism for foreign tourists.
India’s cultural diversity and architecture is the center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. total in the country now 43 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (UNESCO World Heritage Sites) exist. India’s cultural heritage circuits have seen a surge in demand among foreign tourists in recent years with the inclusion of Shantiniketan, the Hoysala sacred temple complex and the Moidams (mound-burial system of Assam’s Ahom dynasty) in the prestigious list.
of the Union Ministry of Tourism ‘Swadesh Darshan 2.0’ And ‘Prashad’ The schemes have rejuvenated the historical, spiritual and cultural centers of the country. World-class facilities, parking and connectivity have expanded at major centers like Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, Mahakal Lok (Ujjain), Ayodhya Dham, Kedarnath Dham and Kamakhya Temple. Under this, theme-based tours like Heritage, Wildlife, Wellness, Buddha Circuit and Ramayana Circuit have been organized.
Amidst the modern stressful lifestyle, India has emerged as the ‘Global Wellness Capital’ of the world. Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, traditional Ayurvedic healing centers in Kerala and meditation centers in Karnataka and Goa are the first choice of international tourists. of India ‘Heal in India’ Due to the (Heal in India) campaign and affordable world-class health facilities, the number of foreign nationals coming under medical tourism is seeing an increase of more than 30% annually.
Launched by Prime Minister to strengthen foreign as well as domestic tourism ‘Look at your country’ The mass movement has given new energy to domestic travel. Along with this, Indian weddings should be organized in heritage palaces of the country (Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Goa and Kerala) instead of abroad. ‘Wed in India’ (Wed in India) campaign has been promoted, which has provided direct support worth billions of rupees to the local economy, handicrafts and employment.
The biggest need of the tourism industry is fast and comfortable transportation. Semi-high speed of Indian Railways ‘Vande Bharat Express’ Trains have brought all the major religious and tourist towns of the country (Katra, Varanasi, Dehradun, Puri, Ajmer, Tirupati) within a few hours of the metros. On the other hand, the Ministry of Civil Aviation ‘Udaan’ (UDAN – common citizen of Ude Desh) Under the scheme, access to offbeat locations has become very easy with the opening of new airports and heliports in small tier-2 and tier-3 cities and remote islands (Lakshadweep, Andaman).
To ensure the quality and safety of tourism services, the government NIDHI+ (National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry) Has activated the platform, on which more than 63,000 hotels, homestays and tour operators in the country have been registered. India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has made it possible for foreign travelers to make digital payments in seconds without exchanging local currency. Apart from this, 360-degree virtual tours of historical monuments and AI-powered multilingual guides have been launched in partnership with Google and global tech companies.
India today is not only preserving its rich cultural roots and the ethos of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, but is also emerging as the brightest star in the global tourism market of the 21st century on the basis of state-of-the-art connectivity and digital accessibility.