G20 meet will help India maximise its potential in tourism sector: Minister

The second G20 Tourism Working Group meeting is focused on projecting domestic tourism in mission mode and will help India maximise its potential in the sector, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Sunday.

The meeting, being held in Darjeeling and Siliguri in West Bengal from April 1 to 3, is being attended by more than 130 participants, including delegates of G20 members, invitee countries and international organisations, industry partners, state tourism officials and local tour operators.

Speaking on the second day of the meeting, Reddy said the vision of the conference is to project domestic tourism in mission mode.

"It will also make India maximise its potential in the tourism sector," he said.

"The Union Ministry of Tourism has also formulated a comprehensive tourism policy with holistic flavour for a sustainable and responsible growth of the tourism sector in the country," he stated.

Welcoming the delegates to Siliguri, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla said West Bengal is the land from where India got its national anthem.

"West Bengal is a favourite destination for tourists from not only India but across the world as well and hence infrastructure development and promotion of tourism are going on in tandem to draw more globetrotters to this part of the country," he said.

The day started with a yoga session organised by the Ministry of AYUSH for the delegates from G20 member countries.

Later, a Himalayan Car Rally was flagged off by the Union tourism minister, accompanied by Minister Barla, MP Raju Bista, the tourism secretary and the foreign delegates.