The Tourism Ministers meeting of the BRICS member countries was held virtually today on 19th September and was attended by Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and DONER. China took Presidency of the BRICS Council in 2022 from India. Today Ministers’ meeting was after two levels of Senior officers meet held virtual on August and September.

The Tourism Ministers’ of the other countries viz Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa participated in Meeting and adopted the Comminique on the theme Green Growth, Sustainable Development and Resilient Recovery. During India’s chairship of BRICS in 2021 key emphasis was put on sustainability, shift to renewable resources, job creation, encouraging green and sustainable tourism practices for accelerating tourism recovery. Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Tourism Minister stated that India had launched the BRICS alliance for Green Tourism during BRICS chairship of India last year. It promotes

measures which can shape a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive tourism sector. It canaccelerate the recovery and development of tourism on sustainable lines. India also attaches great importance to implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to promoting sustainable development in the tourism sector to address the challenges in environmental protection and climate change.

The Ministry’s approach is to focus on post COVID growth and development of tourism sector and priority areas like Cultural Tourism, Adventure tourism, MICE, Medical, Wellness Tourism and Rural Tourism for which the following major initiatives have been identified :-

(i). Green Growth and sustainable development

(ii). Digital Tourism

(iii). Destination Management

(iv). Tourism and Hospitality Skill Development & MSME Development

This will also be reflected in India’s SCO Presidency and G20 Presidency in 2022-23.

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