G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting: Goa Roadmap endorses green tourism, digitalization

New Delhi [India], June 27 : The Goa Roadmap was endorsed at G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting and Ministerial Meeting which was held in Goa from June 19-22, read the Ministry of Tourism press release.
The Roadmap outlined five priorities of the Goa Roadmap which will be implemented to achieve Sustainable Tourism ie Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, Tourism MSMEs, and Destination Management.
Briefing media persons about the outcomes of the Working Group and Ministerial meeting of tourism in New Delhi today, Secretary of Tourism V Vidyavathi, said that the Meeting concluded successfully with G20 countries and all other stakeholders making a firm commitment to the goal of Sustainable Tourism.
The Secretary further remarked that these five priorities provide a roadmap for sustainable tourism not only for India but also for the whole world, added the release.
She also disclosed that in India, a whole of government approach will be adopted and the five priorities will be shared with the Central Ministries as well as state governments so that they can dovetail them into their on-ground action plans and ensure the realisation of these priorities.
The Goa Roadmap also gave an overview of the thematic discussions held in the four tourism working group meetings. The thematic discussions included Archaeological tourism, Rural tourism, Adventure tourism, Film tourism and Cruise Tourism, added the release.
Vidyavathi also pointed out that during G20, international meetings are being held in more than 55 destinations in India for which appropriate infrastructure was created and amenities provided.
"This laid a strong foundation for MICE tourism and this will be promoted by the Ministry of Tourism in the coming days," said Vidyavathi.
On the occasion, Additional Secretary Rakesh Verma gave a presentation highlighting the important events that were organized during the meeting.
He also gave details about thematic discussions on Cruise tourism as well as the significance of 5 priorities endorsed under the Goa.
During the 4th Tourism Working Group Meeting, all the G20 Member Countries, Guest Countries, and International Organizations recognized the efforts in finalizing the GOA Roadmap for Tourism as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development goals, the key deliverable of the tourism working group under India's G20 Presidency.
'GOA Roadmap for Tourism' is aimed at providing national governments in the G20 countries and beyond, as well as other tourism players with voluntary tools and recommendations to leverage the sector's capability to progress the SDGs, added the release.
The roadmap also highlights the need to sensitize the consumer side as well as responsible consumption. The approach of the GOA Roadmap focuses on promoting visitors'-led actions for Travel for Life in line with the Lifestyle for Environment movement launched by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the esteemed gathering during Tourism Ministerial Meeting through a video message.
In the video message, he highlighted that during India's G20 Presidency, over 200 meetings are being organized at more than 100 locations throughout the country.
The Prime Minister stated that our efforts in the tourism sector are centered on preserving rich heritage and at the same time creating world-class infrastructure for tourism.
During the Tourism Ministerial Meeting on June 21, 2023, all the Ministers and Heads of Delegations from G20 Member countries, guest countries, and International Organizations welcomed the GOA Roadmap for Tourism and gave remarks on the successful completion of Tourism Working Group meetings.
On the sidelines of the 4th Tourism Working Group Meeting and Tourism Ministers Meeting, four thematic events were held which include, 'Making Cruise Tourism a Model for Sustainable & Responsible Travel', 'Towards a circular economy of plastics in Tourism - the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)', 'Public Private Dialogue: Importance of Travel & Tourism to the G20 Economies, in association with World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)', and 'Making India a Hub for Cruise Tourism', added the release.
The first thematic discussion on 'Making Cruise Tourism a Model for Sustainable and Responsible Travel' was organized on June 19, 2023, focusing on strategies to promote cruise tourism.
"An MoU was signed between the Ministry of Tourism and Airbnb to jointly promote India as one of the most sought-after Tourism destinations for travel enthusiasts around the world," read the release.
A dedicated microsite was launched in the presence of the Union Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Development of the North Eastern Region of India G Kishan Reddy.
The Ministry of Tourism organized a second thematic discussion on 'Towards a circular economy of plastics in tourism - the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative' in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The discussion focused on encouraging the engagement of tourism stakeholders to address plastic pollution through circular approaches across the tourism value chain.
The event encompassed high-level introductory remarks and a keynote presentation on the action framework proposed by the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI). These interventions were followed by a panel discussion with tourism stakeholders.
During this discussion, CNA-ST (Central Nodal Agency - Sustainable Tourism), Punjab Tourism Board, and RTSOI (Responsible Tourism Society of India) signed a signatory pact and pledged their commitment to the GTPI furthering the cause of the circular economy of plastics in the tourism industry, the release said.
Along the sidelines of the G20 tourism working group meeting on 20th June 2023, a national-level thematic discussion was organized which focused on 'Making India a Hub for Cruise Tourism' and deliberated on various challenges and opportunities for developing Cruise Tourism in India following the principles of sustainability, it added.
The deliberation upon Multi Facets of Cruise Tourism (Coastal, Island, Regional, and Yachting), perspectives from the Coastal States, private and public stakeholders in inland waterways, and perspectives from the Riverine States were the focus areas of discussion during the event.
"In celebration of the 'International Day of Yoga' on June 21, which coincided with the G20 4th Tourism Working Group Meeting and Tourism Ministerial Meeting, a special yoga session was organized by the state government of Goa at Raj Bhawan," added the release.
This session offered an enchanting experience of yoga to all G20 Tourism Ministers and delegates, providing them with a moment of serenity and mindfulness amidst the busy proceedings of the meeting. It highlighted the significance of incorporating wellness practices in the tourism sector and emphasized the importance of holistic well-being, it added.
A 'Public-Private Dialogue: Importance of Travel & Tourism to the G20 Economies' was organized on 21st June 2023 in association with the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
It also added that the dialogue provided an opportunity for participants to share their priorities and concerns and identify opportunities for mutual support and greater public-private partnership. This discussion aligned and provided a private sector perspective on the five priority areas of the Tourism Working Group under India's G20 tourism track.
The Dialogue started by opening the conversation on the respective importance and relevance of these priorities to the private sector and potential areas of support and collaboration from the public sector stated the official statement.