Govt committed to target of 1 pc share of global tourists

Tourism Ministry has set a target of one per cent share of international tourist arrivals by 2016-17, which at present stands at 0.68 per cent.
Union Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said this while addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting here today.
The 'Swadesh Darshan' and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) schemes and the working of Zonal Cultural Centres were taken up for the discussion in the meeting.
Sharma said that India's rich cultural, historical, religious and natural heritage provides a huge potential for development of tourism and job creation.
There is a need to raise the standards of existing tourist destinations and develop new tourism destinations of global standards with the integrated and well-coordinated efforts of Central and state governments, the minister said.

He said that religious tourism is an important segment of domestic tourism in the country and many important religions of the world have their major and minor pilgrimage centres in different parts of the country.
Better services and infrastructure facilities at pilgrimage sites can enrich the spiritual experience of pilgrims, he added.
Referring to Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs), he said these centres promote the rich diversity of our country and also encourage folk and tribal arts and aid the preservation of vanishing arts.