Five key priorities of G20 tourism track endorsed by all member countries

Five key priorities of the G20 tourism track, including green tourism, digitalisation and destination management, have been endorsed by all countries of the group for sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth in the sector, officials have said.

A Goa Roadmap and Action Plan and a ministerial outcome document came out at the end of the G20 ministerial meeting here on Wednesday. The meeting was preceded by the Tourism Working Group Meeting here.

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"G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting successfully concludes at Goa. Strong support for the five key inter-related priorities for sustainable, resilient and inclusive tourism," the Union Tourism Ministry later tweeted.

About 130 delegates from countries such as the US, the UK, Spain, South Africa, Russia, Mauritius, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Nigeria, Oman, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and top international organisations took part in the ministerial meeting.

The delegates were greeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via a recorded video message in which he welcomed them to "Incredible India".

Official sources said the members arrived at a broad consensus in the Goa Roadmap and Action Plan and the ministerial communique.

Union Tourism Ministry G Kishan Reddy also addressed the delegates before the deliberations began. "Both the deliverables of the G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting were welcomed by the G20 delegation," he said.

He later tweeted, "Five inter-related key priorities of the G20 Tourism track of green tourism, digitisation, destination management, skills and tourism MSMEs were endorsed by all G20 countries for achieving sustainable, resilient and inclusive tourism."

Meanwhile, several bilateral talks took place on the sidelines of the meeting, including with the US, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia, officials said.

"Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Yesso Naik held a bilateral meeting with Brian Beall, Director of National Travel and Tourism Office, United States of America, on the sidelines of the fourth Tourism Working Group and Ministerial Meeting," India's Tourism Ministry tweeted.

They held fruitful discussions on a broad range of topics, including data sharing, investments, and knowledge transfer. The parties agreed to institutionalise mechanisms to facilitate the skilling of hospitality professionals, it said.

Naik also held a meeting with Eduardo Uziel, the ambassador of Brazil to India, on the sidelines of the Tourism Working Group and Ministerial Meeting, the Union Tourism ministry said.

"The talks brought to focus the strong cultural exchanges that have been instrumental in strengthening the relations. The Ambassador congratulated India for its stewardship and agreed to collaborate on mutual promotional measures," it tweeted.

Naik also held a meeting with Michiel Sweers, Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, the Netherlands.

"The parties appreciated India's stewardship of the G20 Presidency and the deliberations held during the Goa Tourism working group," the ministry tweeted.