Major highlights are:

    1. “Bharat Parv” 

        a. Ministry of Tourism organized the “Bharat Parv” at the Gyan Path and Red Fort Ground, Delhi from 26th to 31st January 2020, as a part of the Republic Day Celebrations.

        b. The theme of the Bharat Parv was ‘150 Years of Mahatma’ and ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. 

        c. The main attractions during Bharat Parv 2020 included display of Republic Day tableaux, performance by Armed Forces Band, pavilion by State Governments/UTs and the line Ministries, food stalls, cultural performances, handicraft and handloom stalls, etc.

    2. Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme

        a. Ministry of Tourism has launched the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme, a Pan-India online learning program accessible from different digital devices.

        b. The programme aims at enhancing the overall experience of tourists by creating a pool of local, trained professionals.

        c. It will help in creating employment opportunities at the local level even in remote areas with tourism potential.

        d. As on December 21st 2020, 6402 persons have registered under the IITFC Programme.

    3. Conference on Destination Management and Community Participation

        a. Ministry of Tourism organized a Conference on Destination Management and Community Participation on 13th–14th February, 2020 at Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.

        b. It was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Culture & Tourism and Chief Minister of Gujarat.

        c. The meeting was convened to discuss the importance of Destination Management and Community Participation in the tourism sector.

    4. Incredible India Website launched

        a. The Minister of State for Tourism & Culture (IC) launched the Incredible India Website in Chinese, Arabic and Spanish languages to attract tourists from these regions.

    5. ‘Dekho Apna Desh’

        a. Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative was launched in January 2020 with the objective of creating awareness among the citizens about the rich heritage and culture of the country and encourage citizens to travel within the country.

        b. This initiative is in line with the 15th August 2019 address of the Prime Minister asking every citizen to visit at least 15 destinations by the year 2022.

        c. Under this initiative, the Ministry is organizing a series of Webinars under the overall theme of Dekho Apna Desh, showcasing the diverse culture, heritage, destinations and tourism products of the country.

        d. To create mass awareness, the Ministry has also launched an online Dekho Apna Desh pledge and Quiz on the MyGov.in platform.

        e. As on date 68 webinars have been organised with a viewership of almost 3.00 lakh.

    6. ‘Stranded in India’ portal

        a. The Ministry of Tourism set up a portal ‘Stranded in India’ with a view to facilitate and extend support to foreign tourists who were stranded in the country on account of cancellation of flights/lockdown.

        b. The portal helped tourists get information/details of State /UT Tourism Departments and Regional Offices of Ministry of Tourism.

    7. Ministry of Tourism has initiated photography/videography of important tourism and cultural sites using Drone cameras during the lockdown to get the best footage, and at a time when the pollution level is at its lowest.

    8. ‘International Day of Yoga’ (IDY)

        a. Ministry of Tourism carried out several activities on the central theme “Yoga @ home & Yoga with family” to mark the ‘International Day of Yoga’ (IDY). 

        b. The highlight of the celebrations was the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ Webinar on 20th June 2020 which featured a conversation with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.

        c. A number of activities were also carried out by the Domestic and Overseas Indiatourism Offices to mark the celebration of IDY 2020.

    9. NIDHI

        a. Ministry of Tourism has created the National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI) to get a clear picture of the geographical spread of the Hospitality Sector, its size, structure and existing capacity.

        b. It will serve as a common repository of data from Ministry of Tourism, State Departments of Tourism and Industry and enable the Central and State Governments to deliver better support and services including policies and strategies.

        c. The platform has a simple registration process for hospitality units in various categories viz., Hotels, Resorts, Guest houses, Bed and Breakfast/ Homestays, Farm stays, Lodges/Tourist homes, Houseboats, Heritage Homes, Timeshare units, Apartment hotels, Tented accommodation, Standalone F& B units etc. 

  10. SAATHI

        a. In order to ensure adherence with the COVID-19 safety and hygiene protocol, MoT has undertaken an initiative called SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for Hospitality Industry) in association with the Quality Council of India (QCI) for effective implementation of Guidelines/ SOPs issued with reference to COVID-19 and beyond for safe operations of Hotels, Restaurants, B&Bs and other units.

        b. As on date, 6810 accommodation units have been self-certified on the SAATHI portal.

    11. “Thenzawl Golf Resort” Project Inaugurated

        a. The “Thenzawl Golf Resort” Project was inaugurated on 4th Aug 2020. It is to be implemented under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Government of India.

    12. “Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Somnath, Gujarat”project

        a. The project “Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Somnath, Gujarat” was inaugurated on 16th July 2020 and sanctioned under the PRASHAD scheme in March 2017 has been successfully completed with the cost of Rs. 45.36 crore.

    13. “Tourist Facilitation Centre”

        a. The “Tourist Facilitation Centre” facility constructed under the project “Development of Guruvayur, Kerala” under PRASHAD Scheme of the Ministry of Tourism, was inaugurated on 4th Nov 2020.

    14. Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

        a. Ministry of Tourism has been regularly working to promote the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat through various activities.

        b. Even during the COVID-19 Pandemic Bharat Central Institutes of Hotel Management affiliated to NCHMCT & Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management organized various Activities on Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat from 8th May 2020 to 24th August 2020.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)