Govt working to make India tourist-friendly: Tourism Minister Pralhad Patel

The government is working to make India a friendly nation for tourists, especially foreign nationals, Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inauguration programme of "Paryatan Parv" here, the minister said he met ambassadors of several countries to know about the hardships the people of their country face while in India.

"I met with several ambassadors and asked about the bad experiences that tourists belonging to their country took back from India. We have gathered the information and working to make their experiences better," Patel said and urged people to contribute in making a tourist-friendly environment in the country.

He said the government is working to develop 17 "iconic sites" as a world-class destination.

Highlighting the importance of tourism, the minister said Mahatma Gandhi toured length and breadth of the country to understand India's rich culture.

The 12-day-long "Paryatan Parv 2019" was inaugurated by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in the presence of Prahlad Singh Patel at Rajpath lawns between Rafi Marg and Janpath.

Organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Paryatan Parv will be held from October 2 to October 13 across the country. The Delhi leg of the Parv is being held from October 2 to October 6.

Paryatan Parv 2019 is dedicated to 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, with the objective of drawing focus on the benefits of tourism, showcasing the cultural diversity of the country and reinforcing the principle of "Tourism for All".