Tourism Minister K J Alphons has presented National Tourism Awards 2016-17 in New Delhi, on the World Tourism Day. The Awards were presented to various segments of the travel and tourism industry.
These awards are presented to State Governments/ Union Territories, classified hotels, heritage hotels, approved travel agents, tour operators and tourist transport operators, individuals and other private organizations in recognition of their performance in their respective fields.
The awardees were chosen on the basis of several parameters including tourist traffic and efforts undertaken to make the state tourist friendly. The awards are given to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promoting tourism.
The National Tourism Awards have over the years emerged as a prestigious recognition of achievements in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. This year, a total of 77 awards were presented to the tourism industry stakeholders, State Governments, central agencies and individuals.
Speaking on the occasion, K J Alphons said that the Tourism sector has generated 1.46 crore jobs in the last four years and clocked a growth of more than 14 per cent in number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals last year.
Delivering the welcome address, the Union Tourism Secretary, Rashmi Verma said that in the last four years, India has aggressively implemented its promotion strategies in branding, advertising, and selling of its tourism potentials. Rashmi Verma also added that the Ministry in tune with the changing times, has brought in new initiatives like the Adopt a Heritage scheme wherein collaboration with corporate, schools and other stakeholders was initiated to improve facilities at monuments, initiation of 12 iconic sites, MoUs for bilateral tourism with countries, first ever India Tourism Mart and the International Buddhist Conclave 2018. The Secretary also congratulated the industry stakeholders without whose partnership the achievements in the Tourism sector in the last few years, would not have been possible.
