Inaugurating a 4th India Heritage Tourism Conclave organized by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Tourism Secretary Dr. Lalit K Panwar informed “the finance ministry is expected to release a wind fall bonanza budget allocations for the tourism sector on February 28 since it is categorized under the priority developmental sector for the Indian economy in Prime Minister Mr. Modi’s agenda for India’s economic and social and cultural uplift”.
“Tourism Ministry has been consistently pitching for higher allocations with the finance ministry to protect, preserve, promote and restore its rich heritage of over 5,000 years of Indian history and indications are suitably impressive and therefore, the aspirations and expectations of the tourism ministry have already enlivened so that with the higher allocations, the tourism ministry is able to implement the Prime Minister’s vision for developing its tourism and heritage”, said Dr. Panwar.
Ministry of Tourism will soon expand the list of granting electronic travel authorization otherwise known as e-visa to 50 countries from existing 44 to enhance the share of foreign travel into India at 63 per cent, said Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Dr. Lalit K Panwar.
“The name of these six countries recommended by the ministry to department of home affairs for issuance of e-visa comprised China, UK, Spain, France, Italy and Malaysia”, informed Dr. Panwar.
“Heritage and Culture can do without Tourism but Tourism cannot do without Heritage and Culture. All Stakeholders join hands so that 1+1 will not be 2, it will be 11. This will be the kind of Multiplier effect that tourism can have” said Dr. Lalit K Panwar, Secretary, IAS, Ministry of Tourism.
“The best in the tourism industry should take care of the rest so that the rest can also become the best” said Dr. Panwar.
In the welcome address President, PHD Chamber Mr. Alok B. Shriram said that heritage tourism can be attractive economic revitalization strategy, especially as studies have consistently shown that heritage travellers stay longer and spend more money than other kinds of travellers. Such initiatives strengthen the environment by advocating policies, strategies, frameworks and tools that support sustainable tourism as an important vehicle for protecting and managing cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value.
For centuries, people migrating into our rich country with their respective culture and tradition and later mixing with the existing heritage of India; have given birth to rich colours of Indian Heritage. This glorious heritage of India has ensured that the present and subsequent generations have plenty of historical and cultural Heritage to be proud of, thus considering the theme “Global Contribution in Building Indian Heritage”, Mr. Alok B. Shriram extended an invite to all Indians to just not be proud of our great heritage but also to pledge to conserve and preserve everything that India stands for.