Categories: Travel

World Tourism Day marks Travel for LiFE’s global launch, Best Tourism Villages accorded by MoT, ET TravelWorld

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While commemorating the World Tourism Day 2023, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, orchestrated the global launch of ‘Travel for LiFE,’ a sectoral program falling under the ambit of Mission LiFE.

Collaborating with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the launch ceremony was held at the newly built Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Tourism, Ajay Bhatt, asserted that Travel for LiFE underlines India’s commitment to the promotion of sustainable tourism, while he reiterated that the recent G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi showcased India’s dedication to global unity and cooperation. These deliberations, he said, resonated with the collective global aspiration for a sustainable future.

“I urge every traveller, every business, and every citizen to adopt this program and pledge to travel responsibly, to respect our environment, and to understand and appreciate the diverse cultures that make our world so beautifully complex. The Travel for LiFE program, which is a part of Mission LiFE, sets out the path to a sustainable planet Earth,” he added.

Additionally, the minister highlighted India’s emergence as a prominent destination for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism, exemplified by the successful hosting of almost 200 G20 meetings across 60 locations. He also pointed out the world-class MICE facilities like Bharat Mandapam and the newly inaugurated Yashobhoomi convention center in Dwarka, are poised to bring in conference tourism from around the globe.

V. Vidhyavathi, Secretary of Tourism, emphasised that ‘Travel for LiFE’ seeks to encourage tourists to take actions that contribute to environmental conservation, biodiversity preservation, bolstering local economies, and safeguarding the socio-cultural heritage of local communities. It aspires to foster responsible resource utilisation among stakeholders across the tourism value chain.

In addition to the Travel for LiFE program launch, the event celebrated the announcement of the ‘Best Tourism Villages 2023.’ The Ministry of Tourism had initiated the ‘Best Tourism Village Competition‘ on February 16 to recognise and promote exemplary tourism villages across India. This initiative was accompanied by the unveiling of a new website dedicated to rural tourism promotion.

As the world gears up to celebrate World Tourism Day, the global tourism sector is poised for a grand convergence, uniting under the theme of “Tourism and Green Investments”. The industry stakeholders and experts we reached out to, advocated the need to have a collective and coordinated approach involving governments, businesses, and stakeholders, besides, the need to have more local community involvement.

The evaluation process for the Best Tourism Villages considered various parameters in line with UNWTO competition guidelines, encompassing Cultural and Natural Resources, Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources, Economic Sustainability, Social Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability, Tourism Development, and Value Chain Integration. A total of 35 Rural Tourism Villages were recognised, distributed across Gold, Silver, and Bronze categories, with 5, 10, and 20 villages in each, respectively.

These distinguished villages were chosen from over 750 entries originating from 315 districts across 31 states and Union territories. A few recipients included Dawar village in Jammu and Kashmir, Sarmoli in Uttarakhand, Reiek in Mizoram, Kanthalloor in Kerala, Madla and Khokhara in Madhya Pradesh, Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh, Sarodhadadar in Chhattisgarh, Kalpeni in Lakshadweep, Hemis in Ladakh, Pembarthy in Telangana, Cotigao in Goa, and Chitkul in Himachal Pradesh.

The Ministry of Tourism also announced the forthcoming edition of the Best Tourism Village Competition in 2024, underscoring its commitment to fostering rural tourism development.

In a video message, the ministry also articulated its vision to support and promote these rural tourism villages with a dual purpose: alleviating the strain faced by overcrowded cities due to excessive tourism and improving the quality of life for rural communities.

Further, a national competition titled Tourism for Tomorrow, focusing on case studies and best practices, was also inaugurated during the event, in line with the priorities outlined in the Goa Roadmap. These include encompassing Green Tourism, Digitalisation, Skills Development, Support for Tourism Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), and Destination Management.

Additionally, the event featured the launch of several initiatives, including the Design Edible Cutlery Competition, Yuva Tourism Club Merchandise, and the Swachhata Campaign, spanning 108 tourism sites across India.

The Design challenge competition has been initiated for the Institutes of Hotel Management that are affiliated with the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT), operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The competition aims to foster the creation of inventive solutions within the realm of edible cutlery and reduce the usage of plastics.