India launches 3-week festival of tourism – eTurboNews (eTN)
India’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture and MoS Environment, Forest Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, along with Shri K.J Alphons, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Tourism, inaugurated the Paryatan Parv celebrations today at Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi, India.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest, Dr. Mahesh Sharma stressed on the close linkage of culture and tourism in the country and how everyone needed to work on making India’s rich cultural heritage as tourism attractions.
Shri. K.J. Alphons in his address highlighted the need to drastically improve tourist arrivals in the country. He also said that tourism is needed for 2 reasons, namely providing employment to the people and to become an engine of growth.
Cyclathon from India Gate to Qutub Minar
Earlier in the day, the “Paryatan Parv” activities began with the flagging of the cycle rally from India Gate, New Delhi, to Qutab Minar by Smt. Rashimi Verma Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Approximately 80 cyclists from across Delhi, including members of tourism industry stakeholders, officials from central ministries, doctors, teachers, and students participated the rally.
Other activities in the capital included a guided heritage walk at Humayun’s Tomb and a painting competition for children, among other things.
Bubaneshwar Heritage Walk
A tourism awareness walk and run were organized in Shillong, Bhubaneswar, Kovalam (Kerala), Hajipur (Bihar), Gurudaspur, Chennai, Guwahati, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Imphal, Lucknow, Agra, Hyderabad, Gwalior, Bhopal, Panaji (Goa), and Delhi. Hundr of student from the Institute of Hotel Management in the said cities and local stakeholders enthusiastically participated in the tourism walk and run. The various State Tourism Departments also joined the celebrations by organizing various events like a trekking program, photography contest, essay competitions, and sensitization program, to name a few.
Incredible India Run
In Guwahati, the students took to rowing in the Brahmaputra river, spreading the message of Paryatan parv. The Indian Institute of Tourism Travel Management, Noida, organized a painting competition for school children on the theme of “Tourism for All” “Dekho Apna Desh.”
During the inauguration, the Ministry of Tourism launched a special film on the concept of Paryatan Parv and a promotional film on the various competitions to be organized during Paryatan Parv across India.
Chennai Paryatan Parv
The micro-website on the project, “Adopt a Heritage,” was unveiled during the inauguration of the “Paryatan Parv” event jointly by the Honorable Minister of Culture Sh. Mahesh Sharma and Honorable Minister of Tourism Sh. K.J. Alphons.
The Ministry of Tourism in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) envisages to develop the heritage sites and monuments to make them tourist-friendly, thereby enhancing the tourism potential and their cultural importance in a planned and phased manner. The concept was launched by Honorable President of India on September 27, 2017 during the National Tourism Awards and World Tourism Day.
The celebrations will run from October 5-25, 2017 across several cities and iconic tourism destinations in the country. Throughout these 20 days, the “Paryatan Parv” will give an opportunity for the citizens of the country as well as tourists to explore the cultural heritage and enjoy the diverse cuisine, cultural programs, music, and theatre.
