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, were "endorsed by all G20 countries" for achieving a sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth in the sector, officials said on Wednesday.

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

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".

Later, 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 TWG were welcomed by the G20 delegation," he said.

He later tweeted, "Five inter-related key priorities of the G20 Tourism track of Green Tourism, Digitalization, 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, Saudi Arabia, officials said.

"Hon'ble Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Yesso Naik held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Brian Beall, Director of National Travel and Tourism Office, United States of America on the sidelines of the 4th Tourism Working Group and Ministerial Meeting," India's Tourism Ministry tweeted.

They held fruitful discussions on a broad range of pertinent topics, 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 4th 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 G20 Presidency and the deliberations held during the Goa Tourism working group," the ministry tweeted.