New Delhi, Sep. 27 (PTI): Gujarat was named the best state for Comprehensive Development of Tourism at the National Tourism Awards presented by President Ram Nath Kovind today.
The award in the Hall of Fame category was received by Gujarat’s Minister of Tourism Ganpat Singh Vasava and Principal Secretary S J Haider at a function at Vigyan Bhavan.
Gujarat was followed by Madhya Pradesh.
The Hall of Fame Awards were introduced this year and given to states, organisations and agencies which have won the National Tourism Award in the same category for three consecutive years.
The other states which have made it to the awards list for their contribution to tourism are Kerala, Rajasthan, Goa and Andhra Pradesh.
Kovind while giving away the awards said that there was potential for growth in different segments of tourism like spiritual, medical, wildlife and adventure.
Noting that the tourism industry generates significant amount of employment, he said that it should push forward in creating more opportunities and thereby eliminating poverty.
Speaking on the occasion, the president said that tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. Its evolution can be estimated from the fact that the number of tourists all over the world has increased from 2.5 cr. in 1950 to 123 cr. in 2016.
Kovind also launched three key initiatives of the ministry - Incredible India 2.0 Campaign, which will celebrate India worldwide, an Incredible India website and the Adopt A Heritage Project in which heritage sites will be entrusted to PSUs and the private sector for the development of tourist amenities.
He urged the ministry to draft policies that would strengthen the benefits and reduce the costs of tourism. Kovind also called upon leaders of travel and tourism industry to share their vision and innovative ideas on tourism.
