India to use tourism to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, says Union Minister G Kishan Reddy
Reddy was delivering the in a keynote address on the first day of the three-day Tourism Working Group meeting of G20 in Kutch's Dhordo.
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The meeting opened with a panel discussion on 'Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation'. (File) India is focused on using tourism as a vehicle to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals during the G20 presidency, said G K Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Development of North-Eastern Region, on Tuesday.
Reddy was delivering the in a keynote address on the first day of the three-day Tourism Working Group meeting of G20 in Kutch’s Dhordo.
“When the world is facing many challenges, it is a matter of honor and responsibility for India to hold the presidency of G-20 at this hour of crisis. India is focused on using tourism as a vehicle to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals during India’s G20 presidency,” the Union Minister said.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he added, “The soul of India resides in its villages… Thus, by showcasing our villages, the way of life, the spiritual and cultural heritage, the natural beauty of the country are being showcased. And self-reliant villages will lead to a self-reliant India”.
Citing the example of Pochampli village in Telangana which has been declared as one of the best tourism villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, Reddy said, “Indian villages are getting global recognition for rural tourism. Tourism has the potential to generate the maximum number of employment with minimum investment and thus tourism can be a positive force for economic transformation, rural development and community well-being.”
The union minister emphasized that tourism could be used to enable sales of local products and services, youth to become entrepreneurs; and provides a channel for employment of women and non-advantaged communities like tribals and thus leads to community empowerment and poverty alleviation.
The meeting opened with a panel discussion on ‘Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation’. Various delegates from the International Labour Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, Indonesia, Italy, Spain and Japan attended the panel. From India, representatives from Oyo, Global Himalayan Expeditions, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Nagaland were present.
According to an official statement, topics like women empowerment through homestay, community based eco-tourism and rural tourism model of Rann of Kutch were also discussed.
More than 100 delegates participated in the meeting, where five priority sectors in the tourism sector were identified forming key building blocks to accelerate the tourism sector’s transition and achieve the targets for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the statement said.
The delegates will be shown archaeological tourism in the deserts of Kutch, by visiting UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dholavira.
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