New Delhi: The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, is participating in the World Travel Market (WTM) London, to be held from 5th–7th November 2024 at Excel London. The United Kingdom is the second-largest source market for inbound tourists to India, with a strong diaspora population of almost 1.9 million. The Ministry is participating in WTM with a delegation of nearly 50 stakeholders, including State Governments, inbound tour operators, airlines, and hoteliers from the Indian travel industry, to showcase India's vibrant cultural diversity and the vast range of tourism products and immersive experiences. This initiative aligns with India's strategic goal to enhance inbound tourism and position the country as a premier global travel destination.
The India Pavilion at WTM 2024 highlights the country’s rich kaleidoscope of cultures, languages, and traditions, each contributing not only to its tourism landscape but also to the wide range of niche tourism experiences such as spiritual & wellness, wedding, adventure, ecotourism, and gourmet tourism. The focus of this year’s India Pavilion is Wedding Tourism, MICE, and Mahakumbh. A special mock Mandapam has been created in the Pavilion to give the look and feel of an Indian wedding.
In addition to the Ministry of Tourism, several other stakeholders, including State Tourism Departments, tour operators, airlines, and PSUs, are participating in the India Pavilion at WTM. The co-participants include State Tourism Departments from Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Puducherry, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Daman & Diu, along with tour operators, Destination Management Companies, airlines, resorts, and IRCTC. Other State Tourism Departments from Goa, Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh are also participating to showcase their unique tourism experiences and connect with potential clients and partners. The India Pavilion was jointly inaugurated by the High Commissioner of India, Vikram Doraiswami, and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Mugdha Sinha, in the presence of Parvati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, Juapally Rao, Tourism Minister of Telangana, and other Tourism Ministers.
In 2023, a total of 9.5 million foreign tourists visited India, out of which 0.92 million were from the UK, making it the third-largest source market for inbound tourists. The Chalo India initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of India to engage the Indian diaspora in promoting India to their non-Indian friends. As part of this initiative, the Indian diaspora will invite their non-Indian friends to explore the grandeur of Incredible India. The Ministry of Tourism has developed the Chalo India portal where the diaspora can register and refer their non-Indian friends to visit India. Gratis e-tourist visas are also being provided as an incentive under the program. Through this initiative, the Indian diaspora will play a vital role in promoting the country as a premier global tourist destination, showcasing its rich heritage and diverse culture to the world. To broaden the reach of this initiative, the Ministry is launching the Chalo India program in London, given the UK’s large Indian diaspora community.
Among its recent initiatives, the Ministry of Tourism launched the ‘Incredible India Content Hub and Digital Portal’ on the revamped Incredible India digital platform on World Tourism Day, 27th September 2024. The Incredible India Content Hub serves as a comprehensive digital repository for diverse stakeholders, including government officials, ambassadors, tour operators, journalists, students, researchers, filmmakers, authors, and content creators. The Incredible India Digital Portal is a tourist-centric, one-stop digital solution designed to enhance the travel experience for visitors to India.
India remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy and is committed to ensuring that its growth path addresses the challenges of climate change, including the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. During its G20 leadership year, India showcased its tourism potential to the world. With improvements in tourism infrastructure, such as the hospitality network and aviation, India is poised for a major leap in tourism while remaining committed to the G20 Goa Roadmap for sustainable, nature-positive, pro-planet, and green tourism destinations.
BI Bureau
