India Pavilion showcases India as a “365 Days Destination”
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India under its“Incredible India” brand line is participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai -2022 being held from 9th to 12th May, 2022 showcasing India’s rich & diversified tourism potential and providing a platform to the tourism stakeholders to showcase the various tourism destinations and products including Niche products. Also, it is aimed to promote India as a ‘Must See, Must Visit’ destination. During the Mart the India Pavilion is showcasing India as a “365 Days Destination” a year-round multi-faceted tourist destination such as Culture, Adventure, Cruise, Golf, MICE, luxury, wildlife, wellness and medical tourism etc. India Reopening as a theme has been amplified during the mart with the ‘Namaste Campaign’ to welcome International Travellers showcasing must-visit destinations of India.
The India Pavilion was inaugurated in the august presence of Mr. Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Government of Uttarakhand, Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Dr. Aman Puri H.E. Consul General of India to Dubai, Mr. Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary, Tourism & MD, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and Mr. Kitto Zhimomi, Commissioner &Secretary, Government of Nagaland.
Around 18 Participants from India representing the State Tourism Government of Kerala, Nagaland and Tour Operators, Travel Agents, Hoteliers/Resorts, will be present in the India Pavilion showcasing the diverse tourism products and services. Apart from this, State Government of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka are also showcasing the tourism potential that States have to offer.
The Indian tourism outlook is certainly very promising with an upward trend in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA)barring the period of Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020 when the international travel was suspended in majority parts of the world. As the situation is getting slowly & steadily normalized and the international travel has resumed, India is seeing a positive response from most of the source markets. The Gulf and the Middle East region is one of the most important markets for India. The availability of e-Visa facility in three different segments that is tourist, business & medical segment makes it far more convenient for visitors to travel to India. Also, Ministry of Tourism has been undertaking focused campaigns to target the Indian Diaspora in line with the appeal Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of ‘ChaloIndia’ thereby urging Indian Diaspora to inspire at least five of their non-Indian friends every year to visit India, calling them ‘Rashtradoot’.
India is an experiential destination with its kaleidoscope of ancient culture and heritage, ancient systems of healing like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Naturopathy, natural beauty including 70% of the Himalayas and over 7500 km long coastline, rich flora and fauna, world class medical facilities and many other aspects make India the favored destination for the discerning traveler. The enchanting backwaters, hill stations and landscapes make India a beautiful country.
India’s rich and diverse natural, cultural, and religious heritage provides a unique opportunity for tourism, ranging from the architecture of palaces, forts, temples, to the grandeur of its sculptures, and the beauty of its paintings, the scenic landscapes all offering an unparalleled experience. The Indian Himalayas are a complete destination in themselves and span across six states of India namely Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and the hill regions of West Bengal.
Theme based schemes for the integrated development of circuits for improvement of infrastructure in the country have been launched by the Ministry of Tourism to enable tourists experience the destination fully. The Ministry of Tourism has also taken the initiative of identifying, diversifying, developing and promoting nascent / upcoming niche tourism products. These have resulted in the development of unique products like Rural, Adventure, Eco, Wellness, Golf, MICE, Medical and Cruise Tourism.
One of the regions in focus is the North Eastern region of India which comprises the eight States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Promotion of tourism of the North Eastern States of India with its rich and diverse tourism products, variety of flora and fauna, and also home to the unique Asian one horned Rhino, is being given special emphasis. This area is also becoming popular with tourists for River Cruises. In order to showcase the tourism potential of the region in domestic and key international markets, Ministry of Tourism in association with the North-Eastern States organizes the International Tourism Mart (ITM) annually in one of the North Eastern States.
India has emerged as a Destination for Medical / Wellness Travel in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The percentage of Foreign Tourist Arrivals visiting India for Medical Treatment has been increasing over the years and growing rapidly. India is poised to become a hub for medical tourism because of several factors viz. world class hospitals with latest technology; highly skilled Indian physicians and surgeons; cost effective treatment; excellent quality of care and nursing; less waiting time for availing of medical services; traditional healthcare therapies like Ayurveda & Yoga combined with allopathic treatment providing a holistic wellness destination.
