Mumbai: Maharashtra Tourism Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha has said that the first meeting of the Development Working Group (DWG) under India’s G20 Presidency currently underway in the state in Mumbai is an opportunity to showcase the state's tourism potential which can boost the sector in the long run.
On the second day of the three-day meeting being held at Grand Hyatt in Santacruz, exhibition stalls have been set up for the representatives of various countries from all over the world to acquaint them with the state's tourist attractions, historical heritage sites, agricultural tourism, wildlife tourism. Tourism Minister said that the information about tourist places will help take the destinations to the global level.
Lodha said that the Tourism Department is continuously introducing innovative activities to increase awareness of the state's beaches, and various tourist destinations, as well as the state's agricultural tourism, rich culture, historical heritage sites and wildlife tourism. As a part of the campaign, the concept of 'responsible tourism' is being implemented and its English brochure is being given to the delegates at the conference for awareness.
The brochure carries exhaustive information about Ajantha, Verul, Elephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a cluster of Art Deco buildings in Mumbai and four natural sites, six world heritage sites as part of the Western Ghats. Lodha said that the Department of Tourism is striving to improve the tourism sector by adopting more sustainable and inclusive tourism.
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Tourism Secretary Saurabh Vijay said that the Tourism Department has taken many important decisions for the safety of tourists. He said that it is now safe to travel and stay in Maharashtra post-COVID-19 and the DWG meeting was the best medium to spread the word. Shraddha Joshi, Managing Director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation said that the G-20 is a good platform to take the cultural and historical heritage places besides agri-tourism in the state to the global level.
As per an official statement of the External Affairs Ministry, the three-day Development Working Group meeting will focus on G20 collective actions for accelerating progress on the SDGs, and support developing countries in dealing with immediate concerns relating to food, fuel and fertiliser security. The first day of the meeting witnessed two side events on “Data for Development (D4D): Role of G20 in advancing the 2030 Agenda” and “Infusing new LiFE into Green Development”.
The D4D side event was organised in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology (OSET), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The event was designed as a curtain-raiser for further deliberations on D4D that would take place in the Development Working Group under the Sherpa Track during India’s G20 Presidency.
In the G20 meeting held in Bali, Indonesia on November 15 and 16, India was entrusted with the chairmanship of the G20 Summit, which PM Modi described as a moment of pride.
