Samaritans to get National Tourism Award from next year

Good Samaritans helping the tourists in life-threatening and difficult situations will get an award from the government on the World Tourism Day from next year, Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel announced on Friday.

“From next year onwards there will be a new special category in tourism awards for persons demonstrating extraordinary actions like saving the life of a tourist in life-threatening situation etc,” he said.

He also announced that the online training academy of the UN's World Tourism Organisation (WTO) will now offer tourism-related courses in Hindi for the benefit of those willing to undertake.

"This will benefit millions of persons engaged in tourism in India to access world-class courses," he added.

The Union minister was addressing a press conference after Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu presented the National Tourism Award to the winners at a function organised to mark the World Tourism Day.

India was the host country for a celebration of the World Tourism Day 2019. UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili attended the event.

As many as 76 awards were presented to the winners under various categories.

Andhra Pradesh bagged the national award for being the best state for comprehensive development of tourism while Goa got the award for being the best state for adventure tourism. Best film production-friendly state award went to Uttarakhand while Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation bagged the best civil management of tourist destination award.

Speaking on the occasion, Naidu urged all stakeholders of the tourism industry to be mindful of their ecological footprint and called for more responsible and sustainable tourism practices.