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India Appoints V Vidyavathi as New Tourism Secretary

T3 News Network

Arvind Singh, Union Tourism Secretary, is superannuating on May 31, 2023

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has announced the appointment of V Vidyavathi (IAS) as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Tourism in the rank of Secretary.

Vidyavathi is a 1991-batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre. Presently, she is posted Director General in the Archaeological Survey of India. She will take over as Secretary of Ministry of Tourism vice Arvind Singh upon his superannuation on May 31, 2023.

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India’s MICE Sector: Holding Back the Sleeping Giant?

Rikant pittie, easemytrip elected as vice chairman of confederation of indian industry (cii), himalayas to the seas: developing perspective on india’s potential in adventure tourism space, social followers, upcoming events.

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P balaji joins air india as group head- governance, regulatory, compliance & corporate affairs, sarovar hotels & resorts, sandie johannessen joins minor hotels as group director of spa & wellness – asia.

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V Vidyavathi Took Charge As Union Tourism Secretary

  • Indian Masterminds Bureau
  • Published on 6 Jun 2023, 5:35 pm IST
  • 1 minute read

Senior IAS officer Ms. V Vidyavathi has taken charge as the new Union tourism secretary. She replaced Arvind Singh. Just moment after taking charge Ms. Vidyavathi reviewed the preparations for the upcoming G20 events scheduled to take place in Goa. The Ministry of Tourism bid farewell to Arvind Singh and a cordial welcome to Ms. […]

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India to develop 50 new tourism destinations: Union Tourism Secretary at G20 Tourism Expo

G20 Tourism Expo

In line with India’s G20 Presidency coinciding with the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav – Amrit Kaal, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India is attempting to develop India’s Tourism Sector on a mission mode under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Elaborating on the same, Shri Arvind Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India today said that India plans to develop 50 new tourism destinations across the country and envisages making 59 new air routes operational to boost tourism in the country.

tourism secretary of india

Speaking during the inaugural session of the G20 Tourism Expo organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India along with FICCI and Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, Shri Arvind Singh said, “Amidst India’s G20 Presidency, India’s Tourism sector is showing one of the strongest recoveries in the Asia Pacific region. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, India registered 6.19 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2022 registering a growth of 305 per cent as compared to 1.52 million in 2021. To promote tourism further, we plan to promote Green Tourism and open up 50 new Tourism destinations and launch publicity in overseas markets.”

The Ministry of Tourism has already organised G20- Tourism Working Group Meetings and is exploring the promotion of Green Tourism, Digitalisation, Skill development, promotion of MSMEs and Destination Management. Besides, the Government is also focusing on robust infrastructure development as a whole.

“We are taking a 360-degree view of developing the Tourism infrastructure with a focus on enhancing rail, road and Air connectivity. We have recommended 59 new routes to the Ministry of Civil Aviation under the Udaan Scheme, which is very successful and out of this 51 Tourism routes have already been operationalised,” said Shri Singh while highlighting the initiatives taken for the deepening of the tourism sector in the country.

Shri Vishwendra Singh, Minister of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan today informed that the state government plans to revive 23 old air strips spread all over Rajasthan which will give a boost to the tourism sector in the state.

Delivering his inaugural address at G20 Tourism Expo, Shri Vishwendra Singh said, “Under our newly introduced Rural Tourism policy, we are going to re-develop 23 air-strip with private sector support. This will provide a big impetus to tourism in Rajasthan, especially in rural areas and create humongous employment opportunities.”

“Rajasthan has also formed a path-breaking Rural Tourism policy which a lot states should emulate. The policy is expected to boost wildlife tourism, cultural and religious tourism across the state,” said Shri Vishwendra Singh.

Enumerating the initiatives taken by Rajasthan Government, Smt. Gayatri Rathore, Principal Secretary – Tourism, Art & Culture, Government of Rajasthan said, “Rajasthan is home to about 75 per cent of heritage hotels in India, many of which have been renovated and restored through public-private partnership and are now being used for royal-weddings and film shoots. Our department has recently formulated Rural Tourism Scheme to promote Tourism in rural Rajasthan and create employment opportunities.”

Welcoming the delegates and dignitaries Shri Dipak Deva, Chairperson, Tourism and Culture Committee of FICCI said, “The recovery of tourism worldwide has been a phenomenon and India is leading from the front. We hope to keep the momentum aiming at 11 million FTAs. India’s G20 Presidency will add strength to India’s drive”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Jyotsna Suri, Past President, FICCI & CMD of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group said, “India’s G20 Presidency is an incredible opportunity of not only to host meetings but also a fantastic platform to showcase India’s diverse culture, cuisine, heritage and its treasure of tourism destinations. It is also a great opportunity for the tourism industry to showcase itself.”

Shri Randhir Vikram Singh, President, Indian Heritage Hotel Association & CMD, Hotel Castle Mandawa said, “As a country, we have a rich heritage and tourism, especially in Rajasthan has a lot of heritage sites to showcase.”

Delivering Vote of Thanks, Shri Shailesh Pathak, Secretary General, FICCI said, “By 2030, as India becomes the third largest economy in the world, a prediction: tourism outflow from India is going to be 5X of today’s numbers, and the inflow of foreign tourists is going to be 10X of the current level. This will lead to green and sustainable job creation.”

During the inauguration of the G20 Tourism Expo, several dignitaries, including the Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to India His Excellency Chang Jae-Bok were present.

Attended by the stalwarts of the tourism, travel and hospitality sector of India, the event will witness some of the leading names of governance, policy-making and industry coming together on one platform to deliberate on the future of India’s travel and tourism industry.

The G20 Tourism Expo is being organised simultaneously with the 12th edition of Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB). GITB, one of the biggest events of inbound tourism in India, is co-organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India along with the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). The special G20 Tourism Expo will include panel discussions, ambassadors’ roundtable, cultural eventing, game of golf and other programmes.

Being held after a gap of three years, GITB will witness over 11,000 B2B meetings of 283 tour operators from 56 countries, including 150+ from G20 countries, with the representatives of Tourism Boards from 11 states namely – Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, apart from Rajasthan along with more than 290 Indian Exhibitors.

The premier tourism event is supported by leading national and regional associations like the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Rajasthan (HRAR), Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHHA) and the Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators (RATO).

The first edition of the GITB was held in 2008 and since then has grown from strength to strength and is considered a force to recon within the inbound travel mart of India.

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Union Tourism Secretary: Sustainable tourism only way of expanding sector

On sunday, union tourism secretary arvind singh said that sustainable tourism is the only way of expanding and it will bring a much-needed change in jammu and kashmir..

Union Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh on Sunday said sustainable tourism is the only way of expanding the sector and bringing expected change in the industry in Jammu and Kashmir .

Jammu and Kashmir(Unsplash)

Singh attended the 5th Skiing Graduation ceremony at Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM) Gulmarg.

The vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to transform the tourism sector as a major source of employment generation in the country, he said.

Singh said sustainable tourism is the only way of expanding this sector and bringing expected change in J-K Tourism.

Besides, he said, adventure tourism will serve as the main attraction for domestic and foreign tourists.

The Union Tourism secretary said that as the vaccination programme will be completed in the country, the flow of tourists to Gulmarg and the entire Kashmir valley will increase manifold, besides the travel restrictions on foreign tourists will also be subsequently relaxed.

On the occasion, the secretary distributed prizes among the players who excelled in the competition of different snow games.

Among others, Economic Advisor, Union Ministry of Tourism, Gyan Bushan and Director Tourism, Kashmir G N Itoo were present at the event.

When asked for renewing and development of the infrastructure at the Gulmarg, the secretary Tourism said under different schemes, the Centre is funding the states to upgrade the tourism infrastructure.

The Economic Advisor, Union Ministry of Tourism said that IISM, as a part of the National Centre of Excellence, needs to prepare a calendar of events to be conducted to let everyone in the country know in advance about the programmes and activities being held at Gulmarg.

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  • The sustainable tourism certification will be applied, says the ministry

Arvind Singh, tourism secretary, GoI, reiterates the government’s commitment towards sustainable tourism.

tourism secretary of india

  • P Krishna Kumar
  • Published On Nov 11, 2021 at 03:00 PM IST

<p>As tourism is a State subject, and most of the work has to happen at that level, said secretary - tourism, Government of India, Arvind Singh.</p>

  • By P Krishna Kumar ,
  • By P Krishna Kumar
  • Updated On Nov 11, 2021 at 03:00 PM IST

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  • India Vision @2047 – Mr. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) 
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HAI meets Union Tourism Secretary and presents Vision2047, a report on future ready hospitality sector

23rd August 2023, New Delhi: As the tourism and hospitality sectors move on the path of recovery and growth after the two traumatic years of the pandemic, the Hotel Association of India (HAI) has come out with

tourism secretary of india

23 rd  August 2023, New Delhi:  As the tourism and hospitality sectors move on the path of recovery and growth after the two traumatic years of the pandemic, the Hotel Association of India (HAI) has come out with a vision and a roadmap for the future of the sector.  HAI met the hon’ble secretary (tourism) , Mrs.V.Vidyavathi recently and presented her with a copy of the report “Vision 2047-Indian Hotel Industry-Challenges & The Road Ahead”. The  delegation comprised of its Vice President, Mr. K.B. Kachru , Chairman Emeritus and Principal Advisor, South Asia Radisson Hotel Group, Secretary General  Mr. M.P Bezbaruah , HAI Founding Members  Ms. Priya Paul ,  Chairperson,  Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited,  Dr. Jyotsna Suri ,  Chairperson, and MD,  Bharat Hotels Limited,  also participated in the meeting along with Mr.  Ajay K. Bakaya , HAI  Fellow Member & ,  Managing Director , Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd., and  Mrs. Charulata Sukhiia  Deputy Secretary General HAI .

The Report charts out various possible scenarios for the future and what the industry can reasonably achieve by the year India celebrates 100 years of independence.

The report focuses on how the pandemic has altered the way of doing business and analyses the megatrends like technology, sustainability concerns, changing consumer behaviour, digitization, AI, etc. that will shape the future of the industry.

As per the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), India ranked 6th in 2021 for its contribution to GDP after the US, China, Japan, Germany, and Italy. The total contribution of the tourism and hospitality sectors to India’s GDP increased to USD 135.4 billion in 2021 from USD 122 billion in 2020 and recovered to a pre-pandemic level (USD 191 billion in 2019). The report discusses how to consolidate these gains and how to build the future on the present experiences.

Appreciating HAI’s initiative of coming out with a vision 2047 report,  Shrimati V.Vidyavathi ,  emphasised the importance of strong partnership and constructive dialogue with the industry. She also outlined the government’s vision for integrated destination development and the role HAI can play in it. The document outlines the potential of the Indian hotel industry in the next 25 years. The document discusses the opportunities available to hotel industry stakeholders to work in collaboration. 

HAI is confident the information provided in the report will act as a stimulant to identify answers to critical challenges.

 “The tourism industry is going through a significant transformation and technology has helped us enhance customer engagements. Convergence of efforts at different levels and collaboration between the government and private stakeholders will be the key to the successful realisation of the vision of creating jobs and contributing to the national growth story. As the industry equips itself to face the new challenges aiming to achieve greater heights and recognition globally and redesign itself to be an important pillar of national development goals, the report will be a very useful reference and guide. HAI President and Managing Director & CEO, IHCL, Puneet Chhatwal  
“The country is celebrating ‘Amrit Kaal’ as it completes 75 years of independence and embarks on a trip to 100 years. Hospitality Vision 2047 envisions the role of the industry to supplement the government’s new approach to Mission Mode Tourism Development and create a dynamic, vibrant hospitality industry that gives shape to the nation’s development goals.” MP Bezbaruah, Secretary General, Hotel Association of India
“India is the land of vast opportunities in tourism and has a massive talent pool.  India Vision 2047 is for a USD3 trillion tourism economy and a million international tourist arrivals. Hospitality sector will play a pivotal role. This report takes a look at the road ahead and the challenges, highlighting the policy interventions required to support the rapid growth of hotels to meet the targets of tourist inflows-both domestic and foreign   KB Kachru, Vice President, HAI, and Chairman Emeritus and Principal Advisor (South Asia), Radisson Hotel Group

 The ministry of tourism has supported the Industry’s request of according hotels the status of “Infrastructure” at the Centre and at the state level, allowing hotels to avail benefits given to manufacturing uniformly across all States and UTs. The same has been proposed in the National Tourism Policy which the Industry awaits eagerly to be approved by concerned ministries /governments.

The HAI team also apprised the Hon’ble Secretary, about the Association, its objectives, and activities. Other issues discussed were domestic tourism especially religious tourism, promotion of UNESCO heritage sites in the country and the PATA Travel Mart being scheduled to be held in New Delhi in the first week of October. Another meeting will be planned shortly to take the discussions forward. There was a commitment to move forward together. 

Highlights vision 2047

  • The direct contribution of Hotel Industry to GDP was USD 40 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 68 billion by 2027, and ~USD 1 trillion by 2047
  • The inflow of domestic tourists is estimated to increase to 1.4 billion by 2027, 4.8 billion in 2037, and 15 billion in 2047
  • The tourism and hospitality industry are expected to create 53 million jobs by 2029.
  • FDI inflows in the tourism and hospitality industry reached USD 16.4 billion in April-June 2022.
  • By 2028, the industry is expected to earn USD 50.9 billion as visitor exports compared with USD 28.9 billion in 2018. India ranked 54th with a score of 4.1 in the Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021
  • Among global travellers, 65% show a strong preference for eco-friendly accommodation 71% of travellers are more likely to stay at a hotel with self-service recognition technology ensuring faster check-in/out, a reliable payment system, security, and a personalized experience

Established in 1996, Hotel Association of India (HAI) has evolved as an integrated hospitality industry platform to keep pace with the growing buoyancy ushered in by the liberalization of the Indian economy in the mid-90s. With its membership extending from major hotel groups; boutique, heritage and small hotels, HAI represents the entire spectrum of the industry. Its Executive Committee is a potent combination of the commitment of hotel owners on one hand and hard-core professionalism of hotel managers on the other. As the apex Industry Body, HAI works in the areas of Promotion of Regional Cooperation and Hospitality Research & Education in addition to taking Industry centric initiatives. By launching Unprecedented ‘Social Inclusion’ initiatives, HAI also projects the ‘Social Face’ of the Indian hospitality industry.”

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Global Tourism Investor's Summit 2023

azadi ka amrit mahotsav

Ministry of Tourism, Government of India participates in World Travel Market (WTM) 2023, London from 6 - 8 November 2023.

Ministry of Tourism, along with various stakeholders including tour operators and state tourism departments is participating in WTM London from 6 - 8 November 2023. The Ministry of Tourism has taken a space of 650 square meters for the Incredible India Pavilion at WTM 2023, London to showcase varied tourism products and series of transformative experiences for travellers to India under the theme ‘Incredible India! Visit India Year 2023’.

tourism secretary of india

The formal inauguration of the Indian Pavilion was done by Ms. V. Vidyavathi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and H.E. Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the UK in the presence of  Shri Rohan Khaunte, Minister of Tourism, Government of Goa. The inauguration of the India Pavilion was done with ribbon cutting, lamp lighting, Ganesh Vandana and welcome remarks by Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and by High Commissioner of India to the UK.

After the inauguration, the Indian delegation and participants went around the Indian Pavilion and booths of various participating states and other stakeholders. Throughout the day, Incredible India organized various Cultural Performances, henna and Yoga Sessions. The Secretary, Ministry of Tourism attended the UNWTO –WTTC Tourism Ministers Summit on ‘Transforming Tourism through Youth and Education’ held at Elevate Stage. Throughout the day, the Secretary Tourism met important tour operators, media and important stakeholders in the UK market.

tourism secretary of india

In WTM 2023, 47 participants including tour operating companies / DMCs, State Tourism Departments from Delhi, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) are participating in the Incredible India Pavilion whereas States Tourism Departments of Kerala, Karnataka, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, have taken their own pavilions to showcase their products and services and connect with potential clients and partners.

tourism secretary of india

During its participation the Ministry of Tourism would like to use WTM 2023, London as a platform to bring together professionals from various sectors of the travel and tourism industry. The platform would be used for networking, business opportunities, and the exchange of ideas and information as the event attracts a diverse range of attendees, including travel agencies, tour operators, airlines, hoteliers, cruise lines, travel technology providers, tourism boards, and other professionals in the travel and hospitality sector.

tourism secretary of india

Besides showcasing varied tourism products and series of transformative experiences for travellers to India under the theme ‘Incredible India! Visit India Year 2023’ the focus of Ministry of Tourism would be on promoting sustainable tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has launched the ‘Travel for LiFE’ program on 27th September 2023 on the occasion of World Tourism Day . The initiative is based on Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, as a global mass movement led by India urging individuals and communities to act for the protection of the environment against the effects of the climate change.

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  • Rakesh Kumar Verma promoted as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism

Hailing from the Punjab cadre, Verma is a 1993 batch IAS officer, who is serving as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism since January 2020.

tourism secretary of india

  • ETTravelWorld
  • Updated On Dec 9, 2021 at 11:37 AM IST

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  • Published On Dec 9, 2021 at 11:33 AM IST

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tourism secretary of india

  • Rakesh Kumar Verma
  • Ministry of Tourism
  • municipal corporation

Responsible Tourism Society of India

Formed in 2008, at the behest of the Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, the founding members of Ecotourism Society of India comprised of 13 widely experienced, eco-sensitive professionals from the Tourism industry, state government departments of tourism and forests, wildlife conservation, NGOs and also Members of Parliament. This national body for ecotourism stood on three pillars:

  • Engaging in advocacy
  • Helping create policies and guidelines
  • Helping with certification

ESOI stood for Responsible and Sustainable practices In the Business of Tourism- and advocated our Collective Responsibility to ensure the Sustainability of the supporting Natural Environment and the Socio- Cultural surroundings for the Business to sustain over a long time.

To highlight the above aspects, the society has been re-christened as;

‘The Responsible Tourism Society of India’

RTSOI/ESOI works closely with the central and state government bodies responsible for sustainable tourism and a network of like-minded regional / state players across the country to facilitate and support synergy of policies, initiatives and activities at the national and state level.

The society is open for membership to conscious companies and individuals who wish to walk the Sustainable path and lend support to the cause.

Responsible Tourism

Responsible tourism is any form of tourism that can be consumed in a more responsible way.

“Responsible tourism is tourism which:

  • Minimizes negative social, economic and environmental impacts.
  • Generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities.
  • Improves working conditions and access to the industry.
  • Involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances.
  • Makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage embracing diversity.
  • Provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues.
  • Provides access for physically challenged people.
  • Is culturally sensitive, encourages respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

Cape Town Declaration, 2002

OUR MISSION

The Responsible Tourism Society of India is dedicated to the promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism practices within the tourism industry. All funds/income generated are utilized towards achieving the following objectives of the society.

  • Tabulate eco-sensitive areas where tourism will have an impact on the social, cultural and natural environment.
  • Make strategies and efforts to ensure long-term (perpetual) sustenance of the environment.
  • Work with empowered bodies to establish Carrying Capacity and sustainable tourism practices which include conservation of nature and wildlife, and allow local communities to benefit from tourism.
  • Develop policies and codes of conduct for promotion of Sustainable tourism, and help implementation Strategy.
  • Develop a Sustainability based Certification of tourism service providers.
  • Act as a watchdog for excessive consumption of Natural Resources and any negative impact of/on the tourism sector.
  • Support Research in Tourism.
  • Work with service providers to enhance quality of their product and services to a level so they can be sustainable and eco-friendly.
  • Encourage use of appropriate local practices, materials, art, craft, architecture, food etc
  • Encourage minimal conspicuous consumption and prevent excessive consumption of energy.
  • Encourage Energy Saving Practices, Water Harvesting, Use of Solar and other Natural Energy Sources.
  • Encourage good Waste Management Practices especially of non-bio-degradable materials.
  • Encourage low pollution-generating practices and Minimise Carbon Footprint.
  • Organize training and other activities to create awareness on Ecotourism, Sustainable and Responsible tourism.
  • To collaborate with like-minded bodies and implement ecotourism objectives in India and abroad.
  • To continually identify new Ecotourism destinations, Strengthen Ecotourism and make India a preferred Ecotourism Destination.

Founding Members

Honorary members, goodwill ambassadors, governing body, office bearers, secretariat.

rakesh-mathur-new2

Former CEO, BASS (IHG) HOTELS, South & West Asia. & Former President, ITC WelcomHeritage Hotels Director and Principal Advisor: LORDS Hotels and Resorts WOODBRIDGE Guest Homes

RAKESH MATHUR is a Hospitality Industry professional with over forty-seven years of leadership experience in Indian and Global Hotel groups.

After schooling in Shimla and Graduation in Economics Honours from SRCC, Delhi, he joined Oberoi Hotels in 1973 as a Management Trainee and grew in the Industry and worked with Global and Multinational Hotel Organizations and became Executive Director of IHG ( then BASS ) Hotels for South and West Asia.

Rakesh’s passion with India’s Heritage, Culture and Environment started in 2001, when he took over as President of ITC WelcomHeritage Hotels, a Company launched under the Chairmanship of HH Maharaja Gaj Singh ji of Jodhpur to revive India’s BUILT Heritage through Tourism.

Since Heritage Properties are mostly in Rural areas, Rakesh Co-founded the Ecotourism Society of India, to spread awareness about sustainable tourism practices, and is its Current Honorary President.

Rakesh continues to contribute his experience and expertise as a Board member to the Indian Heritage Hotels Association, INTACH Tourism Committee, Auro University, Surat, (Tourism), and HI AIM as CHAIRMAN.

He is also Director and Principal Advisor to Lords Hotels and Resorts.

Apart from his professional affiliations, Rakesh is associated with several Industry and Philanthropic activities. He is recipient of The Karamveer Patra from ICONGO for pioneering the CODE OF CONDUCT for SAFE & HONOURABLE TOURISM , officially endorsed by UNODC and adopted by the Ministry of Tourism, and several awards for contributions to the Hospitality Industry.

He is a Paul Harris Member of the Rotary Club of Delhi Southend, Hon. President of Save the Children India (Delhi), and supports a personal Charitable Foundation engaged in poor and orphaned children’s health and education and women’s empowerment.

steve-new2

MD, Indeco Hotels, Chennai

Member Since: January-2008

Mr. Steve Borgia is currently the Chairman & Managing Director of INDeco Leisure Hotels. INDeco is “INDIA ECOLOGY”, a tourism company with National interest. And also the only Indian Hotel group to win the distinguished “Global Eco Tourism Award”. His pioneering rural tourism in India mend the broken backbone of Indian villages has been one of his most significant contributions to TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT in India.

With basic education in Commerce, he specialized in Group Dynamics and Social Communication from CNRS – LYONS, France. Later, returned to India to do ground research in social communication for Rural Development.

mandip-singh-new

Founder & Managing Director, Ibex Expeditions Pvt. Ltd.

Explorer, Mountaineer, Environmentalist, Adventure travel & Eco tourism specialist.

Mandip has over 35 years of climbing and exploration experience in India and other parts of the world. He has instructed at outdoor schools in Scotland and Wales, climbed in the Alps and made first ascents in the Indian Himalaya .

The Limca Book of records nominated him ‘India’s most versatile Expeditioner ‘. He was conferred the Ness Award for expeditions and explorations by the Royal Geographical Society, London.

In 1989 at the ICEWALK International Students Expedition in the Canadian Arctic near the North Pole, he studied environmental impacts of pollutants in the ice and the growing ozone hole, under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

In 2002, the year of the Mountains, he participated in an Indo Pakistan Friendship expedition in the Swiss Alps under the IUCN and UIAA and has been campaigning to save the Siachen Glacier from environmental degradation due to the two armies present.

In 2007 , he undertook a ecotourism river expedition with the Government , in the state of Madhya Pradesh to try and convert bandits into tourism guides and naturalists in this biodiverse rich but bandit ridden area.

Mandip Singh Soin FRGS , is the Founder and Managing Director of Ibex Expeditions Private Limited. Established in 1979, Ibex is a specialist tourism company in India that specializes in Ecotourism, Adventure, Luxury & Safari Travel.

Ibex received the Green Globe Distinction Award & the PATA Gold Award in 1999 for Outstanding Environmental Achievements. The World Travel Environmental Company Award in 2000 and in 2001 they received the National Award of Excellence by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for being the most environmentally friendly organisation .

He has edited the four issues of the Environment & Eco Tourism handbook published by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

He lectures worldwide on responsible and ecologically sound tourism and is deeply committed to being a good trustee of this earth.

Jose-Dominic-new

MD, CGH Earth Hotels

Jose Dominic has been heading CGH Earth (formerly Casino Group of Hotels) as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director from 1978 to 2017.

Casino Hotel started by Dominic Joseph in 1957, grew into a group of Hotels, globally and nationally acknowledged for its unique model under Jose Dominic’s leadership.

In 1988, the group won the contract to reconstruct and operate the Bangaram Island Resort on Bangaram Island in Lakshadweep islands. The model adopted pioneering for its time put the Lakshadweep on the global tourism map and became the precursor of a new model of tourism introduced by the group in Kerala then known as Casino Group of Hotels. Beginning with Spice Village in Thekkady in 1991 was followed by several award winning hotels such as Coconut Lagoon in Kumarakom in 1993, Marari Beach in 1996 and the Brunton Boatyard in 1998 and thereafter best in class facilities for Ayurveda and Yoga and recently Prakriti Chikiktsa.

The model rested on the foundations of sustainability, social inclusion and the local ethos. The demonstrative success of this model resulted in other entrepreneurs adopting the model that eventually gave to Kerala the leadership to adopt Responsible Tourism as the development strategy. Today tourism represents for Kerala a key engine of development based on Responsible Tourism for which Kerala Tourism has now won the prestigious UNWTO Ulysses Award.

In recognition of his efforts the Ministry of Tourism, in the year 2003 gave a Special Commendation Award to Mr. Jose Dominic for Resort Development. Jose Dominic was also the founder President in the year 2000 of Kerala Travel Mart which has emerged as one of India’s most significant tourism marketing event. He has been the recipient of several awards including Management Leadership Award from Kerala Management Association, Lifetime Achievement Honour form Times of India group, Aathithya Ratna Award from Hotel Investment Forum, Award for “Business Excellence leading to Development of society at large” from Manappuram Finance, Sustainable Person of the year Award, Hotelier Award from UTC, Business Excellence from D.C. Books, Entrepreneurship Award from TiE Kerala, Business Reliability Award from Reporter Channel, Game Changer Award from Durga Das Publication to name some.

The group renowned for its sustainability initiatives has received the prestigious Green Globe Award from World Travel Mart, several awards from Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) for environment conservation. Also the hotels of the group have been repeatedly recipient of Excellence in Tourism Award from Government of India, Ministry of Tourism as well as from the Government of Kerala.

Jose Dominic has served on several National and State advisory panels on tourism of the Government and industry bodies. Some of these include National Tourism Advisory Council of the Government of India and the Government of Kerala, Tourism Think Tank of Government of India, Member – Expert Panel on Tourism of ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) etc. He has been invited to speak at major conferences and seminars on Tourism including Conference on Tourism Taxation organized by World Tourism Organization, Colloquium of Conservation and Heritage Tourism organized by the British Council. He has also presented papers on Sustainable Tourism at the Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators.

Jose Dominic is the Founder President of Kerala Travel Mart and founder member of the Eco Tourism Society of India. He has been closely associated with the conservation movement and serves as the Co-convener of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage). He was the past President of TiE – Kerala Chapter, was the President of the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and was Chairman of CII, Kerala region. Jose Dominic is presently member of the WTM Responsible Tourism Advisory Panel, member of National Tourism Advisory Council – Government of India and member of Kerala State Tourism Advisory Panel. He is also in the Board of Governors of Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship (XIME) – Kochi.

P-D-Rai

Former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

Venu-V

Revenue secretary, Govt. of Kerala

Ravi-Singh

CEO, WWF India

toby

Wildlife Film Maker Director Indian Safaris

Krishna-Kumar-Singh

Former MLA & Environmentalist

Sudhir-Sahi-new

Consultant, UNDP

Member Since: January 2008

SUDHIR SAHI was educated at The Doon School, Dehra Dun and at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi where he obtained the B.A. Honours and M.A. degrees in Economics.

He was UNDP National Consultant for the GOI-UNDP Rural Tourism Project from its inception in 2003 till its completion in 2010 with principal responsibility for the Project’s planning and implementation, thereby enabling the Project to win the PATA Grand Award 2010.

His professional career in the tourism industry spans 37 years, covering sustainable tour operations & marketing, hotel management, airline marketing and continuing international tourism consultancy.

He was Member of the National Tourism Advisory Council of GOI Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry’s Committee to formulate Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India, and Member of the Working Group on Tourism for the 12th Five Year Plan of GOI Ministry of Tourism.

His focus areas are sustainable tourism, rural tourism to support livelihoods of local communities, ecotourism and habitat conservation. This has included his extensive work- related travel across India, UK, Europe, USA, Central Asia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

He served for four years on the GOI Ministry of Environment & Forests Expert Committee for Environment Impact Assessment of Tourism, Transport and Port Projects.

He has represented India on the Youth Commission of the world apex Union of International Alpinist Associations, and was Delhi Secretary of the Himalayan Club and Honorary Secretary & Editor of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation.

Niranjan-Kharti

Founder, iSambhav Former GM Environment, ITC WelcomGroup Hotels

Sarath-Champati

Chief Naturalist, Taj Safaris Associate Director Evolve Back resorts

Sarath has been an ardent wildlife enthusiast for the past 30 years. Having grown up reading books by Jim Corbett, his tryst with wildlife was sparked off with a trip to Jim Corbett N. P., way back in 1982. By education, Sarath is a post-graduate in Sociology from Delhi School of Economics.

While dabbling in various professions (last one was a Stockbroker) he was chosen as the Chief Naturalist for Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR), a pioneer in eco-tourism in India. He went on to work with them for 7 years, initially based in their world renowned, Kabini River Lodge, Nagarahole. Sarath has a rich experience in guiding and has led many prestigious wildlife groups. He assisted many international researchers and filmmakers in the field. He has spearheaded the Training and Consultancy wing of JLR. He has also worked closely with the Karnataka Forest Dept. in various field programs including wildlife census operations, training of forest guards and wild elephant capturing operations. He also worked with Forest Departments of M.P and Uttarakhand for developing ecotourism and in training Park Guides. He is a Founder-Member of the Ecotourism Society of India.

Sarath has travelled extensively to the wildlife sanctuaries in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, South Africa, Botswana, Australia, USA, Canada, Sumatra and Borneo. In 2011, he was fortunate enough to visit both the Poles, the Arctic and Antarctica, thus covering all the continents in the world. He loves a bit of adventure combined with natural history and has summited Mt.Kilimanjaro, in August 2005. He treks regularly in the Himalayas and went on several expeditions to the higher reaches of the Himalayas tracking the elusive Snow Leopards.

Sarath joined Taj Safaris in January 2006 as Chief Naturalist and Head Trainer and trained Naturalists for their 4 lodges in Central India, in a first of its kind intensive training program in India. He was instrumental in implementing India’s first wild-to-wild large mammal re-location of Gaurs from Kanha National Park to Bandhavgarh N.P in Madhya Pradesh in 2011, as a part of a joint project between Taj Safaris, M.P. Forest Dept and the Wildlife Institute of India.

Sarath is now based in Bangalore and is freelance Naturalist and Consultant. He is an Associate Director at Evolve Back Resorts (formerly Orange County). He is the Lead Trainer for Karnataka Ecotourism Board, for whom he trains Eco-volunteers, Naturalists and Nature Guides. He is also the Honorary Wildlife Warden for Karnataka Forest Department.

Sarath regularly leads wildlife tours to Africa, Arctic and Antarctica for Planet Wildlife. He also gives talks frequently on wildlife and conservation in various forums and has also given a few TED and INK talks.

DR. SAMIR SINHA

Member Since: Feb 2023

Dr Samir Sinha is an IFS officer of the Uttarakhand cadre 1990 batch. A PhD in wildlife Dr Samir Sinha has over 30 years of hands-on experience in the Natural Resource and Wildlife Management sector, across various levels including management planning, implementation and policy, at the local, national, regional and international levels. He is also a member of several committees on forest and wildlife laws and policies, wildlife management and allied issues at the National and state level and helped establish and operationalize the South Asian Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) for strengthening regional cooperation for wildlife enforcement.

Dr Sinha is credited with special efforts towards the amelioration of human-wildlife conflict situations, having captured, sometimes at great personal risk wildlife to save them for the human encounter. He also established South Asia’s first Wildlife Sniffer Dog squads, providing them to state forest departments and coordinating their deployment and introduced the use of Deep Search Metal Detectors in India to various Tiger landscapes, providing training support to Field Personnel in their use. He works closely with various stakeholders to promote community-centric ecotourism models and responsible tourism in and around Protected Areas. Dr Sinha has also conducted a number of capacity-building programs including for Forest Dept., Police, Army, Paramilitary, Customs, Judiciary, media personnel and local communities and has contributed his experience and energy as Resource Person at premier National Institutions.

An inspiring author and a recipient of many awards and accolades, his articles find frequent place in journals and magazines and features in documentaries and TV interviews. Dr Sinha is a Ph. D (Wildlife Science) buffet and a Fulbright Nehru Fellow and holds P.G. Diploma in Wildlife Management. He is presently serving as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden Uttarakhand. Based in Dehradun, his other interests include Forest and Wildlife policy and laws, photography and travel.

Presently based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand

maharaja-gaj-singh

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Circuit House Road, Jodhpur – 342006, Rajasthan

Member Since: October-2013

Fondly referred to as Bapji, His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh II,is the titular Maharaja of Marwar. Born into the Royal Family, Bapji is an Oxford graduate who returned to his roots and began his long and arduous journey of restoring heritage monuments, turning them into internationally recognised award-winning structures that today not only function as fabulous sites and museums, but remain alive as social, cultural and religious hubs.

An early pioneer of heritage and cultural tourism in India and Founder President of the Indian Heritage Hotel Association, he has provided leadership for nearly 40 years to promote the adaptive reuse of historic homes and palaces. This has not only helped to preserve the properties, but also created a substantial impact on local economies – reviving local arts, crafts and music traditions; providing new and attractive employment opportunities; and contributing significantly to boost the Indian tourism industry.  Besides the conversion of his own palaces into hotels, foremost among them the Umaid Bhawan Palace, one of the most magnificent and iconic palace hotels in the world, operated and managed as Taj, and the Mehrangarh Fort into an internationally acclaimed museum, His own forts, Mehrangarh (15th century) in Jodhpur and Ahhichatragarh (12th century) in Nagaur, are outstanding examples of conservation and restoration work in the country and  are recipients  of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Distinction & Excellence respectively.

As founder and active trustee of various organisations working in such diverse fields as Rural Regeneration, Water Harvesting, Water Conservation , Sanitation, Food Security, Livestock Security, Fodder Livelihood, Environment and Sustainability, Heritage Conservation, Women and Girls’ Education  and Healthcare, he displays an unwavering sense of social responsibility.

A multifaceted personality Bapji has many awards to his credit including the prestigious Hadrian Award from the World Monument Fund,IATO Wall of Fame Award and Lifetime Achievement award by Conde Naste Traveller Magazine and Indian Hospitality Leadership Awards by APHMI

Madan-Bezbaruiah

Member Since: January-2014

Mr. Madan Prasad Bezbaruah, retired as the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. After retirement he served as Banking Ombudsman for the Reserve Bank of India and also as Member, North Eastern Council (in the rank of Minister of State).

The World Tourism Organization appointed him as Honorary Permanent Representative “in recognition of the valuable contribution made to the development of tourism”. He served for several years as member of the Strategic Group of UN-WTO and was Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

He has authored the report on Indian Outbound Tourism for UN-WTO, and SASEC Regional Tourism for ADB. He was National Consultant of ADB’s SASEC Tourism Development Project, phase I and II, and UN-WTO’s project on Development of Coastal Tourism in the states of West Bengal and Orissa.

Mr. Bezbaruah has written three books- ‘Indian Tourism: Beyond the Millennium”, “The Guest is God-Reflections on Tourism” and “Frontiers of New Tourism” and is the Chief Editor of five-volume encyclopedia- “Fairs and Festivals of India.”

Shilabhadra-Banerjee-new

Member Since: August-2009

Mr. S. Banerjee was Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, from August, 2007 till October 2008. In the Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Banerjee took several initiatives for upgrading infrastructure at important tourism destinations in India for improving visitor experience. He was instrumental in articulating India’s response to climate change in the tourism sector.

This response focused on sustainable tourism for promoting and preserving India’s environmental and cultural heritage with emphasis on inclusive growth. The ‘sustainable’ tourism route was showcased in the Tourism Ministry’s innovative Rural Tourism Project designed to strengthen disadvantaged but skilled rural artisan communities through support to capacity building and infrastructure, with particular emphasis on the role of women. International cooperation was an important focus that was promoted with the ‘India-China Year of Friendship Through Tourism’. China opened its tourism office in New Delhi in August 2007 and India’s fourteenth overseas tourism office was inaugurated at Beijing, China, in April 2008. Several initiatives were taken during Mr. Banerjee’s tenure to enhance cooperation between India and ASEAN countries in the field of tourism. Through the IBSA Summit, cooperation between India, Brazil and South Africa was strengthened with interaction of the travel trade and signing of a tripartite agreement on tourism. The Incredible India Campaign continued to win accolades. India, for the second consecutive year, was adjudged among the top two favourite destinations by the Conde Nast Traveller (U.K.). India won the PATA Grand Award for Marketing and World Travel Awards for World’s Leading Destination Marketing Campaign.

Prior to this, till July 2007, Mr. Banerjee was Director General (Acquisition) in the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. In this tenure, he institutionalised a monitoring system for capital acquisition schemes for effective utilisation of the Defence modernisation budget. He was instrumental in the formulation of the Defence Procurement Procedures 2005 and 2006. These documents, for the first time, included guidelines for ‘Defence Offsets’ and the ‘Make’ procedure that were designed to encourage development of the Indian Defence industry.

Before joining the Defence Ministry, Mr. Banerjee worked as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development from December, 1996 to February, 2002. In this tenure, he initiated reforms in the Urban Sector for making urban local bodies viable and efficient. The reforms included Municipal Accounts, formulation of a model Municipal Act, and guidelines for a regulatory framework for public-private partnerships.

Mr. Banerjee worked in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, from December, 1985 to May, 1991. As Joint Secretary (Marketing) in that Ministry, he dealt with the crisis that affected India’s oil supplies following the outbreak of the Gulf War in August, 1990.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Banerjee worked in the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh. He was Collector and District Magistrate of the important Districts of Krishna and Khammam and headed the Departments of Fisheries, Social Welfare and Civil Supplies.

After finishing his schooling at St. Joseph’s College, North Point, Darjeeling, in 1964, Mr. Banerjee joined St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, from where he received his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Arts degrees in History in 1968 and 1970.

In 1971, Mr. Banerjee joined the Indian Administrative Service.

He received his Master’s Diploma (Public Administration) from the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi in 1992 and M. Phil degree in Social Sciences from the University of Panjab in the same year.

Mr. Banerjee was a Visiting Fellow in the Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford, U.K. (1995-1996) and in the National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi (2002-2003).

Following his retirement from the Indian Administrative Service in 2008, Mr. Banerjee chaired the Committee constituted by the Ministry of Finance in 2009 to review the processes, practices and procedures followed for the procurement and finalisation of security sensitive items relating to currency. The report of this Committee was submitted to the Union Finance Ministry on March 31, 2010. Mr. Banerjee was a member of the Vigilance Advisory Council of the Central Vigilance Commission and the Advisory Board of the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, a professional research institute under the Ministry of Defence. Mr. Banerjee was also appointed Independent External Monitor for the Ministries of Defence and Food Processing Industries.

Sujit-Banerjee-new

C-2/97, Sector 36, Noida-201301, U.P.

Member Since: August-2010

He has served the Government of India in various capacities in his distinguished career as an Officer of the Indian Administrative Service.

Pabla

E – 5 Surendra Garden, Hoshangabad Road, Bopal, MP – 462043

Member Since: August-2013

Retired as the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden of Madhya Pradesh, India, after thirty five years in the Indian Forest Service (IFS). Twelve years in policy formulation and implementation.

Worked for 7 years as protected area manager, seven years as forestry manager and five years as a scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Developed and implemented internationally funded projects on ecodevelopment planning, protected area management and scientific research for biodiversity conservation, and teaching participatory approaches to forestry and wildlife managers. Managed Indo-US collaboration project on the development of the Wildlife Institute of India; Worked as Additional Director Project Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) (later as Director) in an integrated forestry project, the Madhya Forestry Project, financed by the World Bank/IDA. Worked as an Advisor to the Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Development Board. FAO/UNDP consultancy in protected area management planning. Taught a course in ecodevelopment and participatory planning in Sri Lanka for FAO/UNDP. Worked as a wildlife crime control and legal reforms consultant and as team leader of an international consulting group for the preparation of 20-year forestry master plan for Bangladesh on World Bank funded projects. Developed an operational framework and 20-year strategic plan for South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN).

Member of the international consulting group tasked with the designing of a world class tiger safari and rescue centre outside Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve.

vinod

Former Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Read More

C-31, Ground Floor, Panchsheel Enclave, New Delhi-110017

Member Since: May 2018

Mr. Vinod Zutshi joined Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1982 and belonged to Rajasthan Cadre. He superannuated in February, 2017 at the post of Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. Mr. Zutshi has 35 Years of experience in Central Government and Government of Rajasthan with long experience and exposure in the fields of Tourism, Public Policy & Administration, Management and Election & Democratic Governance.

Mr. Zutshi served as Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India between 2015 to 2017. He also held the following positions in Tourism Sector at National Level: Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India; Vice Chairman, National Tourism Advisory Council, India; Chairman PATA Chapter India; Board Member, PATA; Chairman, NCHMCT; Chairman, Board of Governors, IHM, Pusa; and Vice Chairman, Board of Governors, IITTM;

He held many key positions in Tourism Sector in the State of Rajasthan namely, Secretary, Tourism, Govt. of Rajasthan; Secretary, Civil Aviation, Govt. of Rajasthan; Commissioner, Tourism, Govt. of Rajasthan; Chairman & Managing Director, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation; and CMD, Rajasthan State Hotels Corporation.

Vinod Zutshi is now a Consultant & Advisor in Travel and Tourism for more than two years and is based in Delhi.

Some of the key organisations with which Mr. Zutshi is currently associated as Consultant / Advisor/Honorary Member are:

  • Member, Managing Committee of National Apex Body of PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry
  • Honorary Member, Tourism Committee, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry
  • OYO – as a Member (Independent Expert) of Partner Advisory Council
  • Member of CII National Committee on Tourism & Hospitality
  • Adviser to FICCI Medical Value Travel Committee 2019
  • Executive Member of India Cruise Lines Association (InCLA)
  • Member, Board of Trustees, Foundation for Aviation & Sustainable Tourism (FAST)
  • Honorary Member, Ecotourism Society of India (ESOI)

Mr. Zutshi is an Alumni of Harvard Kennedy School and MBA from Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University. He is also an Advocate enrolled with Bar Council of Delhi.

Mr. Zutshi is also a Resource Person in the area of Travel and Tourism. In the recent past He has visited as Guest Speaker at IAS Academy, LBSNAA, Mussoorie; Indian Institute of Public Administration; Central Universities of Banaras Hindu University, Garhwal University and University of Pondicherry; Amity University, Noida; IITTM, Bhubaneswar and Jamia Millia University.

Mr. Vinod Zutshi has travelled far and wide during his long career in various capacities. He has travelled to USA, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Azerbaijan, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Jamaica, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, China, Hong Kong, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Japan and Bangladesh.

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Member Since: July 2020

An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Harvard University, and Fellow of the British Council of the University of Sussex, UK, Dr. Lalit Pawar joined the Indian Administrative Services in 1979 as an IAS officer from the Rajasthan cadre. A PhD in tourism he holds an august space at the RTSOI guiding the council with its various initiatives. During his tenure as an IAS officer, Dr. Panwar, has held various positions in the government of Rajasthan. He was also heading the India Tourism Development Corporation as Chairman and was a Secretary Ministry of Tourism from 2014-15.

During his tenure, Dr. Panwar also is credited with many awards and accolades, notable ones being the “Best Collector Award (as District Collector, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan)in 1987, ‘’National Tourism Award as Chairman and MD, India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC)”. His state, Rajasthan, won the award for promoting tourism, at the National Level from the Ministry of Tourism. Dr. Panwar was also awarded the ‘’Pride of Hospitality Industry award by the Journalist Association of India’’ and The Ashok Hotel won the ‘’Best Hotel for Cuisine & Services’’ accorded by Pacific Asia Travel Writers Association (PATWA) at ITB, Berlin, under his leadership. He is also a recipient of the national hospitality education Award 2010-11 by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, in recognition of outstanding contribution towards Skill Development Initiatives.

Based in Jaipur, he has also founded the Vivekanand Global University in Jaipur and is presently associated with them as a chairperson. He continues his association with the Government of India, lending his learnings and expertise in Tourism with Niti Aygo as is also a member Lokpal Search Committee.

JAYANTA SANYAL

Member Since: July 2021

Rathi Vinay Jha, An IAS (Indian Administrative Service) Officer of the 1967 batch, Rathi retired as the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in 2004.

Prior to that she was Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce and CMD of the India Trade Promotion Organisation ( ITPO) She has held many positions related to the Textiles sector. She was the founder Director of NIFT from 1987-93. She spent a year on deputation with the Confederation of Indian Industry as an Advisor in 1996.

After serving the government she was the Secretary General of the World Travel and Tourism Council India, and Director General of the Fashion Design Council of India. She was a Member of the NIFT Board of Governors and Chairman of the Durgabai Deshmukh College for Visually Impaired.

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Dr. Misra was Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and later Chairman of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). She has worked in various capacities in the Government of India and in the Government of Gujarat. During her career, she was posted in the remote area of Kutch where she imbibed the love for natural heritage and the deep aspects of cultural heritage, particularly the vibrant craft traditions of the region. She was posted in the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism for a considerable period of time and was the Commissioner for Tourism in the State of Gujarat.

Dr. Misra is presently the Member-Secretary of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) which is a unique, premiere national body, dedicated to the conservation of Indian Heritage, encompassing built, natural, intangible, art and material heritage and the myriad aspects of heritage including outreach and heritage education. INTACH has set-up a Heritage Tourism Division, the INTACH Heritage Academy and INTACH Knowledge Centre under her initiative. Her total experience in the tourism and culture field span for more than 22 years. The overall experience which she garnered in the field and the policy arena resulted in a deep involvement in heritage and tourism issues.

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Member Since: Nov 2022

Bittu Sahgal is the Founder of the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, Editor of Sanctuary Asia, India’s first and largest circulating wildlife and ecology magazine (1981) and Founder-Editor of Sanctuary Cub (1984), India’s oldest and only wildlife magazine for children. He was closely involved with Project Tiger since its inception in the 1970s, and has spent over four decades writing about and calling attention to conservation issues in books, magazines and newspapers in both English and regional languages. He has also produced 30 wildlife documentaries, led national and international environmental campaigns across media platforms, including social media. He created Kids for Tigers, a conservation programme for school children that has reached over a million children and has been run successfully for almost two decades.

Bittu has served on a range of government and nongovernment organisation boards and committees over the last 30 years, including the National Board for Wildlife (Government of India), the IUCN (World Conservation Union), The Wild Foundation (U.S.A) and the Expert Appraisal Committee for Infrastructure, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

LATIKA NATH

Arjun Mathur is an International Emmy nominated, British-born, Indian actor. He was trained by Barry John in New Delhi, India and at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, New York. Before he started acting, he worked as an Assistant Director on several big-budget Indian films such as ‘Bunty Aur Babli’ and ‘Rang De Basanti (Paint It Yellow)’.

Arjun was discovered by Mira Nair and Farhan Akhtar simultaneously, through their respective short films, ‘Migration’ and ‘Positive’ for the ‘Aids Jaago’ project, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, 2007. This was followed by several remarkable performances in mainstream Indian films like ‘Luck By Chance’, ‘My Name Is Khan’ and ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’, as well as critically acclaimed independent films like ‘Barah Aana’, ‘Coffee Bloom’, the National-Award winning ‘I Am’ and the English language film, ‘Fireflies’, for which he received a Best Actor nomination at the New York Indian Film Festival, 2013.

In 2012, he garnered praise for the youth-centric mini-series, ‘Bring On The Night’, which was the first of it’s kind produced in India, before the streaming revolution took hold. Arjun has appeared in numerous television commercials and was a brand-ambassador for the leading Indian lifestyle brand, ‘Godrej’ from 2013 till 2016. He was also seen in Channel 4’s British drama series, ‘Indian Summers’ as the volatile nationalist, ‘Naresh Banerjee’. The 2018 Netflix original film, ‘Brij Mohan Amar Rahe (Long Live Brij Mohan)’ saw Arjun step away from his image and impress audiences and critics as an underwear salesman from Delhi, who tries to fake his own death and fails miserably.

In 2019, Arjun played the lead in Zoya Akhtar’s Amazon original series, ‘Made In Heaven’ and received a nomination in the ‘Best Performance by an Actor’ category at the International Emmy Awards 2020, for his nuanced portrayal of a gay man living in urban India at a time when homosexuality was illegal. The show itself received worldwide audience and critical acclaim.

He was last seen in ‘The Gone Game’, a suspense thriller series that was set, conceived, shot and released during the lockdown in 2020 and the murder mystery feature-film, ‘Silence’.

He will next be seen in second seasons of ‘Made In Heaven’ and ‘The Gone Game’ as well as ‘U-Special’ – the first Indian series for the digital platform ‘Lionsgate Play’.

SHOBA MOHAN

Member Since: November-2016

Shoba Mohan is the Founder Partner of RARE India, a company that has been promoting conservation and community based tourism with sustainability as a keystone value for tourism and hospitality. She sits on board associations like RTSOI, TTC, IAHRC etc.  and promotes the idea that sustainable travel is future ready and luxury has to be redefined around parameters that believe in protection and preservation of the planet.

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MD, Travel Corporation India

Member Since: January 2014

Dipak Deva’s journey in the travel industry began thirty years ago, as a junior staff member in a travel company in Jaipur. He then moved on to become the Sales & Marketing Head of TCI, built Distant Frontiers into a boutique company focussed on experiential travel, which was aquired by Kuoni Switzerland in the year 2008. Since then he has led the biggest, and most-awarded, inbound travel company in the country. Dipak’s deep understanding of India’s tourism potential, source markets and their needs, ability to build relationships with partners, and drive technology-led initiatives, has played an important role in making the company the largest inbound tourism organisation in the country.

Dipak Deva is currently the Managing Director of Travel Corporation India Ltd., a market leader for inbound tourism from UK, Germany, France, Russia, Spain, Portugal and Japan. The company owns leading international brands such as Sita, Distant Frontiers, Go Vacations (JV with Europe’s DER Touristik).

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CEO, A Sharma Associates

Prof. Anil Sharma (Adjunct Faculty, IIT Rooeki) began his career as a young architect with the firm of “Bhardwaj and Bhardwaj Associates”, in New Delhi from 1982 to 1984. He subsequently joined the multi-national firm of “Kabil and Associates” at New Delhi and then proceeded to gain an invaluable, experience with the firm of “Schooly Caldwell Associates”, in Columbus, Ohio at the United States of America.

Returning to India, after the American experience, with a high level of self-confidence, Anil Sharma embarked on his enterprise of private professional practice.

Mr. Anil Sharma as a private professional Architect, now with well over 30 years of wide experience in designing multi star hotels (www.asharma.com), which are climate responsive & energy efficient. He has designed more than 70 hotels all over India in every climatic zone from Cold climate of Gulmarg to Hot & Dry climate of Hyderabad. He adopts latest materials & technology to achieve operational efficiency & to reduce carbon emissions. All his latest designs are LEED / IGBC compliant and certified. The hotel “Khyber, Gulmarg” is the most awarded hotel by “Coinde Nast” and various other travel platforms of repute.

Apart from his professional duties as an Architect, he has balanced his work with teaching responsibilities, as visiting expert and faculty member to the following institutions of repute:

(1) “Indian Institute of Technology”, Roorkee (2) “The School of Planning & Architecture”, Bhopal (3) “The School of Planning & Architecture”, New Delhi (3) “Indira Gandhi Technical University for Women”, Kashmiree Gate, New Delhi.

Mr. Anil Sharma and his projects have been recipient of the following awards:

1. His first hotel project; “Holiday Inn”, Pune won the Best hotel of the year in Asia Pacific Region in the year 1994. 2. In the year 2013 another hotel designed by Mr. Sharma, “Hotel Khyber” in Gulmarg, was awarded “Best Luxury Hotel of the world”. 3. In the year 2014 Mr. Sharma, was awarded “The Most Innovative Hotel Design Architect” for Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Hyderabad at the Hoteliers Summit held in Mumbai. 4. “Taj Hotel and Convention Center, Agra” won “Best Architectural Design Hotel” in “Time2Leap awards 2019” at Hyatt Pune. 5. “Club Babylon, Ahemedabad”, was awarded “Most Sustainable Architectural Design in Hospitality” in Time2Leap awards 2019” at Hyatt Pune.

Mr. Anil Sharma has been the member of National Jury Members for various Architecture Design Awards being run by A+D and Archi-design.

In the year 2014, Mr. Sharma was invited to participate as a Jury Member of the evaluation committee for the IIT Roorkee-Campus Extension meetings for their 330 Cr. expansion project. He was also a jury member for the development of the MNIT campus at Jaipur.

Mr. Anil Sharma, has taken the initiative in leadership role in organizing and hosting the annual “Hi-Aim” Conference that is a collective assembly of (1) Hospitality Industry leaders (2) their Architects, (3) Interior Designers and (4) Managers. This year, “Hi-Aim” held its fifth annual conference at Colombo, Sri Lanka in the month of March. (www.hi-aim.org)

Mr. Anil Sharma has been deeply committed to his Alma Mater, and has already made several inputs and contribution for taking the revered institution to higher level value goals and achievements.

Mr. Sharma has been instrumental in formulation of the following annual awards at the awards for students at the IIT Roorkee: 1. The Manoj Jain memorial award for the student with best “Human Values” 2. The R.P. Singh memorial award for the “best student of Architecture” at the IIT Roorkee.

Mr. Anil Sharma, has provided a whole hearted support to the CSR initiative “Anushruti” and has helped in organizing the fund-raising event at Greater Noida campus of IIT Roorkee in 2015.

Mr. Sharma has always been keen on sharing his knowledge through classroom teaching, and technical project co-ordination meetings, he has always felt responsible for imparting the rightful knowledge. Many clients, consultants’ even specialists approach Mr. Sharma for his suggestions and technical expert knowledge that he has gained through hard work and experiences of more than 35 years in the Industry.

He has recently accepted the role of an Adjunct Professor, at IIT Roorkee, and has been actively involved in not only improving the curriculum, but also acting as External Expert for Institutions of Architecture at I.I.T Roorkee, Uttrakhand, and the School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi for their B. Arch & M. Arch Programs as also the “Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women” as Consulting Architect, in-charge of establishing the Department of Architecture.

He has also taken up assignments as a visiting faculty member in I.I.T Roorkee for conducting semester wise design studio for 2nd year to 5th year students; he has also been part of the evaluation of thesis seminars.

He has also been given charge to conduct the stage-by-stage thesis projects of B. Arch V year students as an External Expert of the Jury

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Akanksha’s debut project was the  Sunderban Tiger Camp , established in 2004, followed by  The Riverwood Forest Retreat  in Dooars, West Bengal in 2008 and  The Riverwood Forest Retreat  in Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh in 2013. Current expansion plans include setting up camps in the tiger corridor of Madhya Pradesh. All these properties are a part of the  Waxpol Hotels and Resorts  hospitality brand, of which Akanksha is Executive Director and Founder.

Akanksha holds many prominent industry positions and serves as a thought leader. Some of the current and past positions include the below:

  • Governing Council Member of The Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI)
  • Committee Member of the Responsible Tourism Wing of The Adventure Tour Operators of India (ATOAI)
  • CII –Eastern Region Tourism Subcommittee Member
  • Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board Stakeholder Advisor
  • Ex. West Bengal Tourism Advisory Committee
  • Ex. CII – National Tourism Committee Member
  • Ex. Managing Committee Member of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI)

In the 2020 Covid-19 crisis she has led the industry preparedness through formulating safety and sanitization guidelines for the tourism industry.

In recognition of her efforts, Akanksha has won numerous high-profile tourism awards. In 2008, she was awarded the  TiE Tiger Award  for her tourism development initiatives in the Sundarbans, the  Rotary Club Award for CSR  and the East India Travel Awards  ‘Face of the Future’  Award in 2016.

In 2019, Akanksha has been extensively featured as one of the  Top Women Hoteliers  in India and one of the favourite women in Hospitality around the world. Her conservation and sustainable tourism efforts have been featured in Green Hotels, TTJ Magazine, TravTalk, Responsibletourismindia.com and many more magazines and media.

Akanksha was recognised by India Leadership conclave as the  Most Innovative and Promising Woman Hotelier 2019 .

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Global Luxury Hospitality & Tourism Leader I Senior Partner HM Corp and Founder – One Rep Global

Chief Advisor – Leela Palace Hotels & Resorts I Board Member | Keynote Speaker I Angel Investor

Hemant Mediratta is an exemplary luxury hotelier with over three decades experience in the hospitality business. He is a seasoned professional with expertise in luxury hotel operations and sales and marketing across domestic as well as international markets. A passionate believer in the India story, Hemant has worked relentlessly over the years towards the growth of Indian tourism.

Hemant completed an outstanding and fulfilling 16-year tenure with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts in 2020. During this long association he played a significant role in, especially in his last position as Senior Vice President Sales, driving commercial excellence for the iconic hospitality group. His previous roles span successful terms in senior positions at globally acclaimed hotel groups like Hyatt International, IHG and The Park Hotels. A purveyor of luxury, with an invaluable background and hands-on experience in luxury hospitality, Hemant Mediratta has featured extensively in the media as a thought leader sharing a global perspective on luxury hospitality and travel industry trends. He is also a serial entrepreneur. Hemant has established and co-founded several successful brands which include Antara Cruises – India’s leading luxury river cruising company, Eleven Inc – a leading digital marketing agency in the luxury hospitality space; One Rep Global – a Sales, Marketing and PR organisation for Hotels, Travel, Luxury and Wellness brands from across the world.

A captivating orator, Hemant is passionate about public speaking and can often be found sharing his thoughts at educational institutions and corporate conferences, largely on motivation, leadership, luxury selling and entrepreneurial mindset. He is also on the governing board of Responsible Tourism Society of India, a non-profit organization with the aim to promote and ensure environmentally responsible and sustainable practices in the tourism industry.

Besides managing and inspiring teams, Hemant is an active angel investor with an interest in early-stage luxury and travel start-ups. He actively mentors new-age founders on product-market-fit, talent hiring and retention and on building a founder mindset for business success. Hemant’s social initiative, Mediratta Foundation , was established with the aim to empower individuals and enterprises in creating success driven and scalable businesses generating employment for many others in the process. The focus is on mentoring micro-entrepreneurs in urban areas, working on sustainable livelihood in rural areas, empowering women & girls through education, and provide quality health services for the poor and marginalized communities. Through a network of volunteers and panel of industry experts, Mediratta Foundation curates and executes programs and workshops to benefit the communities.

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Jt. Managing Director, Creative Travel Pvt. Ltd.

Rohit Kohli is Jt. Managing Director of the Creative Travel group. Established in 1977, Creative Travel is today considered to be one India’s largest independent, family owned Destination Management Companies. The other main business includes Signature Tours by Creative Travel, specializing in luxury outbound journeys; Plan it! meetings and conferences, a cutting edge PCO and corporate loyalty management company; and Jungle Sutra Wildlife Journeys, India’s first wildlife specialist DMC focusing on lesser known fauna of the subcontinent. The group also runs an Academy of Tourism.

Creative Travel is South Asia’s most recognised tour operator and has won many accolades including the prestigious National Awards regularly since 1979, multiple World Travel Awards, SITE Crystal Awards, PATA Gold awards etc.

Rohit is a hotelier by qualification, having graduated from a leading hotel management school and has initiated at some of the top luxury hotels in the country.

Rohit’s position at the group, aside from sharing overall management responsibilities, also includes management of the operations and business development functions of the organization. Rohit is also responsible for the strategic planning including expansion and new focus areas. The company has 20 offices around the world. One of Rohit’s key involvements is in the sustainability and responsible efforts of the organization through the Ram Kohli Foundation.

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Seema Bhatt has worked extensively on issues related to ecotourism, biodiversity and climate change. Her particular focus of work is on strengthening the links between conservation of biodiversity and livelihoods of local communities.

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A802, Rachana Sayantara, Hazari Pahad, Nagpur, Maharastra – 440007

Member Since: May 2017

Born in an Armed Forces family, I was always hooked to the outdoors. I soon realised that birds and smaller mammals fascinated me the most. Simultaneously, I found that Adventure was always a part of life. So have ended up being an explorer, trekker, scuba diver, sky diver, river rafter, birdwatcher and a nomad for life! Local people and their customs, and nature itself have been my biggest teachers – and I keep trying to learn more at every step.

Founded one of the most popular wildlife and adventure camping organisations – Pugmarks, before selling it and moving to Maharashtra Forest Department at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (earlier Melghat Tiger Reserve). My mandate is to work in the field of creating a better eco tourism experience for visitors.

PEERZADA FAIYAZ AHMED

Peerzada Faiyaz Ahmed is a Tourism & Hospitality Industry professional with over forty years of experience in highly acclaimed Hotel Groups and in the Tourism Industry.

After schooling in Sainik School Chittorgarh, Rajasthan he attained proficiency in three foreign languages Russian, French Arabic and started his Hospitality career from Hotel Shahenshah palace in Srinagar, JKTDC and Air India Subsidiary Centaur Group of Hotels. He opted for Voluntary Retirement in 2007 and joined ITC Hotels in Ooty – Tamil Nadu. He also worked in close association for His Royal Highness the Maharaja of Mysore of the Wadiyar Family. He is in Travel Business exclusively since 2009

He also has been on the role of Institute of Hotel Management, Srinagar as an external Examiner since last 30 plus years.

He is responsible in introducing Ecotourism Society of India in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and conducted workshops in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. He is also the Convener for Responsible Tourism Society of India RTSOI for Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh.

Peerzada’s tryst and passion with the nature, environment of Jammu & Kashmir and its safety concern made him and like-minded enthusiasts to start a trust under the name of Environmental Policy Group EPG. He is also the founder member of Nature University under the aegis of EPG. The Nature University is responsible to identify and demarcate the Triassic Fossil Park at Khunmoh which is believed to contain fossils dating back to 252 million years when the world’s first tsunami occurred. This scientific theory has been recognised by the Penn Dixie University of USA. They are planning an infrastructure there and dedicatee it to the Tourism as an additional tourist interest spot. The proposal is under active consideration with government.

He was elected as President TAAK in 2013. In his role as President of this esteemed association he maintained close contact with the members and the administration. Held various meetings, conferences and discussions to improve the tourism scenario in the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir.

JAHANABI PHOOKAN

Wildlife and the wilderness has been a passion for Aly ever since childhood. This passion for wildlife inspired him to work with his family to set up and run Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, one of the finest wilderness lodges in India. At Reni Pani, Aly has curated and built on the wildlife and guiding experience since its inception and in this time his passion for wildlife has been instilled in the ethos of the lodge and its people. A trained naturalist and ornithologist, he has travelled across the country and has been involved with wildlife in various localities. His deep involvement with Satpura since his childhood has been a motivation to protect and conserve wildlife in this landscape. In line with this deep attachment, Aly and the team at Reni Pani have identified another location at the far south of the tiger reserve in Bori Sanctuary to set up a second wildlife lodge, called Bori Safari Lodge. Although the Bori Sanctuary has the distinguished accolade of being the oldest protected area in the country, in terms of tourism it is still very raw and upcoming adding to the element of adventure and discovery. This sanctuary also happens to be Aly’s first wildlife destination a long time ago when he was a little boy and since then he has gotten to know it very intimately.

Among other wildlife initiatives that Aly has undertaken is the ongoing camera trap studies in the

SAMIT SAWHNY

Samit Sawhny completed his ACA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, England & Wales and his MBA (PGDM) from the Indian Institute of Ahmedabad in 1995. He then worked with Ernst & Young in London in the Capital Markets & Risk Management Group till the year 2000, with concurrent secondments to Morgan Stanley and Paribas in London and Warburg Dillon Read in Zurich.

With travel always being a guiding passion, Samit wrote a travelogue, “All the World’s a Spittoon” which was published by Penguin Books, India in 2003.

Samit founded the Barefoot Group in 2001, with an aim to promote sustainable tourism in the Andaman Islands. The organisation runs Barefoot at Havelock, an award-winning eco-retreat in the Andaman Islands and also operates various land and water-based adventure sports, including scuba diving, through Barefoot Scuba. Another branch of the group, Barefoot Holidays, is engaged in destination management activities in the Andaman Islands.

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Our Supporters

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RTSOI Members

Grand patrons, partner members, affiliate partner members, partner institutions, life members, individual members.

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Mr. Soman Pathi Liaison & Nodal Officer, Gujarat Tourism

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Mr. Yuvraj Padole Dy Director Events & Marketing

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Ms Effat Ara Managing Director Mr. Junaid Wahab Khan Manager – Marketing & Brand Development

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Ms. Vineeta Dixit Head Public Policy India

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Syed Junaid Altaf M. D.

Syed Owais Altaf Director & Head – Strategic Alliances

Shweta Verma AGM – Business Development

E: [email protected], [email protected]

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Deep Kalra Founder & Group EC

Yuvaraj Srivastava Chief HR Officer

Manavi Bharadwaj Sustainability Lead

Anisha Narula CSR Lead

Rajneesh Director – Administration & Facilities

E: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

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Mr. S.S. Rajpoot Chief Executive Officer

Mr. O.V. Choudhary Chief General Manager

JKTOURISM

Mr. Zaffar Ahmad Bhat Secretary to Govt., Dept. of Tourism & Culture

Commissioner / Secretary to Govt. Tourism & Culture Department Civil Secretariat Government of Jammu & Kashmir Srinagar 190001 (May – October)

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Mr. Girish Shankar Managing Director

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Mr. S Kandan Managing Director

AP-Tourism

D Block, 1st Floor A. P. Secretariat Hyderabad – 500022 Andhra Pradesh

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Mr. Dipak Deva MD

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Mr. Sanjeev Sethi Manager – Trade Representative

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Mr. Ashwini Khurana President

• Close to 300 acres, Karma Lakelands, is an eco-responsible Golf Resort with luxury residences. • Designed by Phil Ryan, Pacific Coast Design, Melbourne, Australia. • Recipient of India’s most “Eco-Friendly Golf Course 2016 Award” by Golf Digest. • Over 2 lac plants and trees planted to make Karma a beautiful sanctuary. • Luxurious, well-appointed rooms for short and long-term stays across Karma Lakelands and Karma Chalets – our boutique hotel. Our villas, have become the preferred residential choice for those looking for a clean, green and responsible living environment. • Klub Karma: A 1,00,000 Sq. Ft. Venue offering The Grand Ball Room, indoor and outdoor spaces supported by multiple F&B outlets and High-end destination for weddings, Golf tournaments and corporate retreats. • We believe in nature and responsible living, where luxury is thoughtful rather than a wasteful process. The Environmental initiatives at Karma Lakelands are: Water Harvesting, Bio-Composting, Organic Agro, Bee Farming, Solar Energy. The whole campus is a strict No Honking Zone – The Guards respond to sight not sound.

K Villas, 5 Green Avenue, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi – 110070

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Ms. Poonam Kaura Partner Government and Public Sector Advisory

Nangia Andersen is known for offering consultancy services to facilitate synergy of policies, initiatives, and activities at the national and state level in tourism and allied sectors. They have shown their proficiencies through their collaborative studies with FICCI in creating detailed reports on “Tourism Investment Potential 2021”, “Rebuilding Tourism for the Future 2022” and “Outbound Travel and Tourism – An Opportunity Untapped”, where it highlights the gravity of Indian tourism industry and profiles a framework for building a more sustainable and responsible tourism experience for Indian tourists & travellers.

Nangia Andersen collaborates with Central and State government departments/agencies, local communities, and other stakeholders responsible for sustainable tourism. The company has delivered a plethora of assignments in the areas of tourism and government &amp; public sector advisory. Some of the key clients include the Ministry of Tourism, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Invest India, Hazaribagh Municipal Corporation, Directorate of Industries & Enterprise Promotion Government of Uttar Pradesh, UP Industrial Consultants Limited, Moradabad Smart City Limited, Department of Urban Development &amp; Housing Arunachal Pradesh and Jharkhand and Rajasthan Skills and Livelihoods Development Corporation.

Quality of people is the cornerstone of their ability to serve clients. Team Nangia Andersen LLP brings strong credentials in Tourism and relevant fields. The leadership has successful track record of conceptualizing, launching, and managing tourism initiatives that have proved to be path breaking. It invests tremendous resources in identifying exceptional people, developing their skills, and creating an environment that fosters their growth as leaders.

A-109, Sector – 136, Noida (Delhi NCR) 201304, India Email: [email protected], [email protected]

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Mr.Mohan Tickoo Managing Director Mr. Ravi Tickoo Director Operation

Member Since: May-2009

Recipient of the National Tourism Award for Best Adventure Tour Operator 2007-2008, KVT is a full-service adventure travel company based in New Delhi, India.

Founded in 1985, our activities and operations have greatly expanded and diversified over the last two decades to emerge as one of India’s leading providers of innovative and tailor-made adventure, culture and nature tours across India, Nepal and Bhutan. KVT’s growing catalogue of hard and soft adventure activities include amateur and skilled trekking programs, biking tours, climbing expeditions, wildlife tours, safaris and specialist multi-activity programs for students, families and individual explorers.

Committed to sustainable practices, a Responsible Tourism Policy is integrated into all aspects of our operations and decision-making. KVT is also directly involved in conservation initiatives and community programs in some of India’s key tourism impact areas.

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Mr. Mandip Singh Soin Managing Director Mrs. Anita Singh Soin Director

E: [email protected], [email protected]

Since 1979 people have entrusted their dreams to us. Ibex has been a leader in adventure travel, off-the-beaten-path holidays, wildlife safaris, family vacations, specialised journeys in luxury hotels and quaint lodges. Ibex arranges authentic, cultural immersive journeys; be it camping in the Himalaya or dining at a fine palace.

Established in 1979, Ibex is the receipent of the National Tourism Award as well as several International Awards such as PATA Gold, Green Globe Distinction, WTM Envoronmental company Award and is rated by National Geographic as one of the ‘Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth’.

Ibex has been a leader in adventure travel, off-the-beaten-path holidays, wildlife safaris, family vacations, specialised journeys in luxury hotels and quaint lodges. Ibex arranges authentic, cultural immersive journeys; be it camping in the Himalaya or dining at a fine palace.

Our own discoveries on roads less travelled have allowed us to create your very own, bespoke customised holiday so that your experience is an intimate account, taking in your own personal aesthetics and fascination.

Ibex Expeditions is committed to being environmental caretakers and it is our endeavour to maintain high standards of `minimum impact tourism’.

cghearth

Mr. Jose Dominic M.D. & C.E.O.

E: [email protected]

Member Since: July-2009

CGH Earth is a five-decade long experiment in hospitality. Our properties both preserve and reflect the cultures they are born from. Nothing has been added that does not already belong. Because nothing more was necessary. The result, we like to believe, are experiences as immersive as they are authentic.

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DR. ANJUNA DHIR Partner +91 9811031980 SHRINIVAS KOWLIGI Partner +91 9599584226

E: [email protected], E: [email protected]

Member Since: Apr-2023 Bringing best-in-class expertise to the table built from experiences around the world, Destinopedia is a one-stop-shop offering solutions for destinations. With our expertise, multi-disciplinary approach and robust methodologies, Destinopedia is the right partner to navigate these challenging times in the travel and tourism sector.

With a multi-dimensional approach to Destination sustainability, that balances, ecology, economy and community, Destinopedia offers strategy, design, management and implementation support to both pubic and private sector clients.

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Mr. Suhail Gupta MD

Member Since: January-2010

India Safari and Tours is one of the Indian Subcontinent’s most comprehensive tour operators. As such, we are able to offer fully inclusive service to our travel partners tailored to suit almost any requirement and budget. We are one of the Indian Subcontinent’s most comprehensive tour operators. As such, we are able to offer fully inclusive service to our travel partners tailored to suit almost any requirement and budget. Our professional and experienced travel specialists will work with you every step of the way, ensuring that we design tailor made travel programs to suit your needs.

Our team at India Safaris and Tours consists of seasoned professionals with more than 60 years of experience in planning and executing exceptional journeys across the Indian Subcontinent. We maintain strong alliances with a comprehensive range of quality properties that include small boutique hotels/home stays that are tucked away in amazing locales, transporters and service providers in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Our quality guides provide a professional and comprehensive experience of the areas in which we operate.

India Safaris & Tours is breaking new ground in the Indian Tourism Industry by setting new standards in service. We are in the process of setting up a transport fleet of Toyota’s in Central India for transferring guests to the various lodges; these vehicles will carry a picnic hamper with goodies that clients can enjoy during their drives. We are also creating a customized travel journal, which will be handed over to each individual client on their arrival into India. For train travel a customized travel kit is being put together for each client. This kit will contain bedding that will be laid out by the India Safaris butler who will travel with clients on overnight journeys, toilet bags with hand wash, toilet paper etc.

Our team in India have worked in then field in lodges as managers/naturalists/accompanying escorts and bring their field experience into tour operating. We have over the last 15 years been working very closely with the BBC Natural History Unit in Bristol on all their wildlife documentaries that have been filmed in India and the sub continent. Our colleague Toby Sinclair, who is our Director Special Projects is also their de facto location manager for all their projects in the subcontinent. We have done all their research, got the filming permissions from the authorities and also handled all their logistics. In fact the last film project we worked on the wildlife and culture around the river Ganges from its source to the Bay of Bengal, went on air in August in the UK. Another 3 one hour films on Tigers from Pench Tiger Reserve gone on air in 2008.

We have also handled arrangements for guests like Lady Helen Hamlyn and her late husband Lord Paul Hamlyn, Sir David Attenborough, Pierce Bronson’s visit to meet the Dalai Lama, Photographer Richard Avedon – have organised trips for Richard Avedon to photograph subjects in India for articles in Vanity Fair/Travel and Leisure. Also organised trips for Trustees from the Metropolitan Museum New York, Trustees of WCS( Bronx Zoo) etc. Recently we organised a fly in safari tour new lodges for Judge Judy, a well known TV celebrity from the USA.

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Mr. Faiz Rashid Chief Operation Officer

Reni Pani jungle lodge located near the Satpura National park, takes its name from the tribal village where the camp is located. The word reni comes from a berry found in the surrounding areas and pani (water) is named after waterhole frequented by wild animals near the village. The lodge is built in 30 acres of dense deciduous forest with a nallah running through the property. There are 12 separate units with 3 different types of rooms to choose from (nallah facing units, forest units and hill-top units) .The rooms have been designed keeping the local surroundings in mind while providing a rustic feel to the lodge. The rooms have large private decks giving you the chance to be one with nature and explore the variety of bird and animal life within the camp

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Mrs. Tulika Kedia Director

Member Since: April-2010

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Mr. Kanhai Kapoor Director Operations E: [email protected], [email protected]

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Mr. Cherian T Ramapuram Director – Sales Mr. Jose T Ramapuram Director – Marketing

Member Since: July-2010

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Mr. Rahul Sharma Director Ms.Renu Sharma Director E: [email protected]

L – 16 / 2 A, DLF Phase II, Gurgaon, Haryana – 122002

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Mrs. Husna-Tara Prakash

Member Since: September-2010

Glenburn Tea Estate’s Boutique Hotel is a product of the loving restoration of a century old colonial bungalow on our family estate in Darjeeling, high up in the Indian Himalayas, with breathtaking views of Mount Kanchenjunga – the 3rd highest peak in the world. Blend this with a thousand acres of verdant private forest, miles of lush green tea-fields and eight quaint tea-picker villages, myriad bird species, two sparkling rivers teeming with wild Himalayan Rainbow Trout and Golden Mahseer, and you can imagine why Conde Nast Traveller describes Glenburn as, “a little corner of heaven…..and almost as remote”.

swosti

Mr. J.K. Mohanty Managing Director

Swosti Group is one of the largest hospitality industries in the state of Odisha since two decades. The laurel and history of the group has been acclaimed many times in national and international sphere for its food, service and accommodation. The Managing Director and proprietor of the property Mr. J K Mohanty is one of the pioneer person in establishing the star hotel in the state and is consistently heading the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Orissa as Chairman for last so many years and as active member of FHRAI, IATO, HAI, TAAI, CII, UCCI & many other national & international associations.

Swosti Premium Limited as the crowning glory of Swosti Group is spread up in 4 acres of land in the vicinity of temple city of Bhubaneswar having 159 centrally AC rooms of various types and suites to meet the requirement of the class of people in the world. Our Convention hall, The Chanakya is one of the largest pillar less hall having its palatial grandeur stood majestically as the best convention hall available nationally and acclaimed several comments for notable conventions. Apart from that we have 9 other board rooms / small halls with a beautiful lush green lawn and beautiful swimming pool having lot of open space clubbed with Health Club having multi GYM, Shauna, Ayurvedic Massage, etc. Our Scottish bar, The Rob Roy is one of the finest available bars in the State.

Our prime property Hotel Swoti Pvt. Ltd. situated in the heart of the temple city having 57 rooms, good suite rooms, 3 conference halls, 1 Board room, two restaurants and Bar. The hotel has acclaimed several laurels to its credit for food, service and accommodation in national & international level and bagged several awards nationally and internationally.

We have also added another feather in the crown the Swosti Palm Resort, Gopalpur-on-Sea, a beautiful Beach Resort having 26 rooms, restaurants, two conference halls and a Bar for the need of our guests.

SWOSTI, the very name symbolizes comfort and leisure empirically vindicating the essence of the high hospitality cult ideolised in the image of Swosti Travels as a trade mark and mission enshrining the maxim Atithi Devo Bhaba in it’s fabric of corporate ethics to treat the guests with divine passion as God replicating the nobility of a devoted soul.

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Mr. Ajeet Bajaj Managing Director

Mrs. Shirly Thomas Bajaj

E: [email protected], [email protected]

Member Since: October-2010

Snow Leopard Adventures Pvt. Ltd., India’s first ISO 9001: 2008 certified adventure travel outfit, operates adventure tours in the Indian Subcontinent. Be it river rafting on the Ganga, trekking in the Himalayas, mountain biking in Garhwal, sea kayaking tours in Kerala or Trans-Himalayan jeep safaris, Snow Leopard Adventures assures you of a safe yet exciting experience. Meticulous planning, tremendous emphasis on safety and “eco-sense” forms the foundation of each of our trips.

The company operates five picturesque tented campsites nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas near Rishikesh, and new adventure base at Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, in the heart of India. We are proud to state that our company has pioneered sea kayaking in Kerala and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. We also have a substantial portfolio of Multinational Companies, domestic and international schools visiting our campsites to experience the ‘spirit of adventure’ in the great Himalayan outdoors. Snow Leopard Adventures is committed towards promoting eco-friendly adventure tourism in India.

The company is led by Mr. Ajeet Bajaj (MD). Having more than 25 years of experience in adventure sports, he is the first Indian to have skied to both the geographical North Pole and the South Pole. He has also earned the distinction of being the first Asian to have rafted and kayaked some of the most challenging rivers in six continents of the world.

Awards won by Snow Leopard Adventures

  • National Tourism Award: Most innovative Adventure activity viz. Sea Kayaking in the Andaman for the year 2008 – 2009
  • Bird Express Award for Excellence in Customer Service for the launch of its new
  • campsite Camp Blue Bull in Orchha , Madhya Pradesh
  • Hall of Fame award for Mr. Ajeet Bajaj for promoting best practices in
  • Adventure Tourism in India

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Mr. Ashish Phookan Managing Director

E: [email protected]

DLF Phase IV, Gurgaon

Set amongst verdant farmland, patches of bird-rich forest and slow meandering streams, the ambience of the Diphlu River Lodge makes it a retreat in the true sense of the word. The luxurious, but rustic and eco-friendly lodge was built to adapt to the existing foliage and terrain. The cottages are built on stilts and their thatch-covered roofs are supported by thick bamboo pillars.

Diphlu River Lodge is separated from the Kaziranga National Park by the river Diphlu, giving the cottages a – sometimes scarily – close view of the wildlife-stocked jungle beyond it. You are asked to keep your lights and sounds low for the wildlife that comes to drink there.

The grounds of the lodge include a lotus pond, barbecue and dancing area, and an observation hut. The spacious main building, called Machan, has a library, a restaurant with high thatched ceilings, sitting areas and a large verandah with gorgeous views of the park beyond the river. Well-trained naturalists assist you in identifying and understanding the private lives of the creatures that you encounter around the lodge or in the park.

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Mr. Amar Nath Director

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Mr Alex Le Beuan Director

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Mr. Sumant Batra Director

Member Since: October-2011

Many years ago, a young traveler discovered a non-descript enchanting village during one of his explorations of the Himalayan foothills. He fell in love with the place instantly and a summer house came up on the top of a hill in no time. This is where he wanted to live, he decided, but only after he had achieved his dream of becoming a famous lawyer. As he climbed up the success ladder, the breathtaking view of the snow-peaked mountains, lush forests, enticing orchards, meandering trails, terraced fields and charming people of the village continued to beckon him.

One day It was love at first sight with the village. He climbed up a small mountain and looked at the imposing snow-capped peaks and the mesmerising valley and felt that he was standing at a place of love. He made up his mind. This was the mountain he wanted to settle down on once he was done with the city-life. Together, he and his wife built a dream house on the small mountain top. The mountain ofhe paused, decided it was time. He changed paths that led to what he wanted to do – design and open his own hotel in the mountains, a chai-ki-dukan where to tell his war-stories, write books, explore nature and undertake philanthropic activities. The colonial-style summer house is now Te Aroha, an eco-friendly boutique hotel.

The resort offers its guests the opportunity to experience finest hospitality, amidst the scenic surroundings of Dhanachuli. The property is a harmonious blend of traditional architecture and contemporary comforts. The original structure of summer house that once stood on the hill has been successfully preserved to retain its original charm.

Treepie Hospitality Private Limited

Sumant Batra Chairman

Dhanachuli Bend, Near Mukteshwar, Tehsil Dhari, District Nainital, Uttrakhand – 263132

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Mr. Bilal Chapri Managing Director

Chapri House, H. No. 88, Sect – 23, HUDA, Gurgaon – 122017, Haryana

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Mr. Ajay K. Bakaya Executive Director Ms. Preeti Nathani Asst. Manager – Corporate Affairs

E: [email protected], [email protected]

Member Since: September-2012

Sarovar Hotels & Resorts is a leading hotel management company and one of the fastest growing chain of hotels in India. Headed by a team of industry veterans, the Company manages and franchises 60 operational hotels across 40 cities in India and overseas, under Sarovar Premiere, Sarovar Portico, Hometel, Park Plaza and Park Inn brands. The brands cover the 3, 4 and 5 star spectrum.

Sarovar Hotels also manages corporate hospitality services at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Hindustan Unilever Limited’s training centre in Mumbai and the new campus of Indian School of Business at Mohali. Geoffrey’s, the popular English Pub brand operates at multiple destinations across India.

Waxpol-Hotels

Ms. Akanksha Garg Director Mr. Saroj Kumar Jha Manager Sales, Delhi Office

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Mr. R. Raju Bhurat Managing Director

Vijayshree Heritage Village Pvt. Ltd., a 5 star heritage resort with 43 luxurious cottages, and is spread among 17 acres of greenery with over 60,000 saplings / trees of various medicinal values, various energy conservation techniques, plastic free zones, has made it a true ‘eco-friendly’ resort. The resort is planned around the philosophy of ‘Panchabhoota’ – the five elements comprising Earth, Fire, Wind, Water and Sky. Unlike conventional resorts, we put you in touch with the ‘Saatvik’ Indian lifestyle, with a ban on cigarettes, liquor and non-vegetarian food inside the resort which encourages health consciousness among visitors.

Facilities: – AJEET MULTI CUISINE RESTAURANT, COFFEE SHOP 24X7, SWIMMING POOL, CHILDREN’S POOL, HEALTH CLUB SAUNA WHIRPOOL/HOT TUB/JACUZZI, SPA, GAMES ROOM, PLAY GROUND AREA, TELEPHONE, LAUNDRY, CONFERENCE, OPEN ROCKERY AREA, MARRIAGE HALL, THEME VILLAGE-LIVE ENTERTAINMENT DAILY

This apart, the Heritage Theme Village next door, which is part of our resort, captures your imagination and refreshes your memory of rural Indian art & traditions. Each day, at twilight the village gets lit up with colorful and awe-inspiring traditional dance, music and cultures of the bygone era. From folk dances of Rajasthan to death defying acts of tribals , inspirational designs of the Mehandi artist to the magical flow of hand of the Puppet showman, from camel rides to bullock cart rides , you name it, and you get to experience it. And the best way to conclude the day is by tasting our Rajasthani style pure vegetarian dinner thali served in traditional style at our ‘Manvar’ Rajasthani restaurant.

We follow eco friendly environment. Many activities are followed, few to mention

  • Usage of solar power backup with bio-gas plant.
  • Usage of CFL lamps & electric cars are used for guest transportation.
  • Usage of plastics are completely banned, we use reusable laundry bags.
  • Most of the communication is done through E-Communication. We try to minimize printing documents.
  • We have our own kitchen garden where vegetables are grown ,using organic farming.
  • Left overs are donated to Goshala.
  • Installed STP,so has to not waste water.
  • Regularly we organize free health check up camps,blood donation camp ,distribution of study materials for privileged school children in surrounding area & talent hunt to promote local talent with employment as part of CSR.

Mr. Ravinder Tickoo Managing Director

Member Since: February-2014

Active India Holidays Company Profile With a dedicated focus on active, experiential tours and destination services active India holidays specializes in creating safe, authentic and memorable India experiences for families, small groups and individual travellers. With a dedicated focus on active, experiential tours and destination services active India holidays specializes in creating safe, authentic and memorable India experiences for families, small groups and individual travellers.

Active India Holidays Private Limited (Active India) was established in 2011 with a dedicated vision and focus on active and experiential adventure, discovery and wildlife tours and destination management services across India.

Active India’s foundations are defined by its core competence and local expertise, quality infrastructure, service and safety standards and offering innovative, authentic and memorable India experience to both new and returning visitors.

Each one of our products and services are carefully designed, researched and refined to offer the best value, comfort and safety while truly inspiring our clients to indulge, explore and participate in the cultural charm, natural beauty and diversity across India’s most popular and hidden destinations.

These include cycling and trekking programs in the Himalayas, Ladakh and Zanskar, Rajasthan and Kerala, experiential culture and discovery tours across India, wildlife tours and nature safaris popular with families and independent travellers.

Our special interest activities focus on tailor-made programs in rural tourism, home stays, charity tours and cultural exchange programs for schools, students and volunteers.

Responsible Tourism is and always has been one of the driving principles of Active India Holidays. Our commitment to sustainable tourism practices and initiatives has helped the company to integrate a responsible tourism policy in all major aspects of its operations and decision making right from the outset.

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Mr. Anil Sharma CEO

Nirat Kumar Bhatt Chairman & MD Read More 203, Benkesha Complex, Near Navrangpura Bus Stand, Ahmedabad (Gujarat) – 380009 Member Since: December 2017

Mr. Praveen Sharma Director

Mr. Abhimanyu Mehra MD Read More

47-A, The Mall Road, Amritsar, Punjab – 143001 Member Since: July 2018

Mr. Sanjay Basu MD Read More 50 LGF, Charmwood Plaza, Erose Garden, Surajkund Road, Faridabad – 121009 Haryana Member Since: July 2018

Syed Junaid Altaf M. D. Syed Ali Jafary Head – Sales & Marketing Geetu Kaura General Manager Read More

Plot No 1, First Floor, Kehar Singh Estate, Western Marg Lane No. 2, Saket, New Delhi – 110030 Member Since: August 2018

Maj. S. K. Yadav M. D. Read More G-18, Masjid Moth, Greater Kailash, Part II, New Delhi – 110048 Member Since: September 2018

Mr. Yugabrata Kar Proprietor Read More Mayfair Haritage, C. T. Road, Puri – 2, Odisha – 752002 Member Since: September 2018

Mr. Laximan Raul Proprietor Read More Office No. 401, Fourth Floor, Edcon Solitaire Building, Near Vodafone Gallery, Angod, Mapusa, Goa – 403507 Member Since: October 2018

Mr. Shivraj Singh Shekhawat Partner Read More Flat – F-1, D334, Near SKR Academy, Kardhani Scheme, Kalwar Road, Jhotwara, Jaipur – 302012 (Rajasthan) Member Since: May 2019

Mr. K. Pandian Director Read More

Cholan Tours Pvt. Ltd., No. 4, Annai Avenue, Vasanth Nagar Extn. Kollidakarai, Srirangam, Trichy – 620006, Tamil Nadu Member Since: June 2019

Mr. Oshank Soni Director Read More 38/12, Second Floor, East Patel Nagar, New Delhi – 110005 Member Since: June 2019

Mr. Pradeep Kumar Marwah Director Mr. Sidhartha Roy Sr. Vice President Read More Global Center 327, Udyog Vihar, Phase – II, Gurugram – 122016 Haryana Member Since: June 2019

Mr. Riyaz U. C. Managing Director Read More S. A. Road, Elamkulam, Kadavanthara, Cochin , Kerala – 682020 Member Since: July 2019

Mr. Prashant K Masih Founder Director Read More 3239/1, Tulsi Nagar, Ranjhi, Jabalpur , (M.P) – 482005 Member Since: July 2019

Mr. Gulam Mustafa Proprietor Read More The Grand Dragon, Ladakh, Old Road, Sheynam, Leh – 194101

Mr. Sandip Tiwari Business Head Read More 2nd Mile, Sevoke Road, Ward – 43, Bhanu Nagar, Siliguri – 734001, West Bengal

Mr. Bansal Chief Operating Officer Read More 202, 2nd Floor, Morya Bluemoon Oppciti Mall, Andheri (W) , Mumbai – 400053

Mr. Ujjawal Vice President Read More C-41, 10 c CGHS, Plot 8 C, Sector 11, Dwarka, New Delhi – 110075 Member Since: March 2017

Ms. Shahna Steve Executive Director Read More 34, Sreyas Krishna Appartments, 3rd Floor, North Street, Sriram Nagar.Alwarpet.Chennai-600018 Member Since: March 2020

Mr. Narendra Singh Rathore COO Read More Alt F, Tower B, Suncity Success Tower, Sec – 65, Golf Course Ext. Road, Gurugram – 122101, Haryana Member Since: June 2020

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Ms. Shilpa Sharma Founder / Director

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Mr. Abinash Manghani CEO

7. Kanha Jungle Camp Logo

Mr. G.S. RATHORE Promoter

Member Since: May-2021

With a strong focus on conservation, sustainability and local community Kanha Jungle Camp sits in an enviable position near to the Mukki Gate of Kanha National Park. It is tucked into 40 acres of reforested lands, adjoining the buffer forest of Kanha National Park.

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Mr. Samit Sawhny Director Mr. Sanjeev Kumar General Manager – Operations

E: [email protected]

Member Since: Jul-2022

Mr. Yashpal Khanna Director Mr. Atul Hassija Director Mr. Tarun Taneja Director

E: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

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Mr. Rajesh Kaley Director – Engineering

E: [email protected], [email protected]

Member Since: Apr-2022

8. Pench Jungle Camp Logo

Mr. Bharat Seth Partner E: [email protected], [email protected]

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Mr. Yadnasen Patankar Director

E: [email protected]

Mr. Varun Hooja Partner Ms. Miriam Leonard Director

E: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

13. Final logo titlyy

Ms. Rohini Vachher Business Head

E: [email protected], [email protected]

Mr. Vikram Maira Owner

E: [email protected]

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Mr. Prateek Hira President & CEO

E:[email protected]

Member Since: Dec-2021

Mr. Anirudh Shukla Managing Director

E:[email protected]

Responsible Tourism has arrived. Join us in the journey!

Vedic Walks is a boutique travel company with the very foundation of curating Responsible and Sustainable tourism products in Rajasthan. Established in year 2008, we are a team of Craftsmen creating & delivering exceptional indigenous travel experiences for more than a decade. Hand-crafted to perfection, our experiences are based on conserving natural and cultural heritage of Rajasthan. Community engagement, Responsible luxury tours, Walking tours, Cycling trails, Food tours and Art workshops are some of our signature travel programs.

We are a trusted Experiential travel partner for many prestigious travel and event companies from all around the world and Vedic walks is also gladly associated with top media houses both from India and overseas to help organizing travel events and documentaries to be shot in Rajasthan.

Mr. Hemant Mediratta Founder Mr. Mayank Tuteja Director – Sales

E:[email protected], [email protected]

22. Qayaam Gah - FINAL Logo

Mr. Bilal Ahmed Chapri Director Mr. Altaf Hussain Chapri Director Mr. Sandeep Kumar Chief Accountant

E:[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

QAYAAM GAH RETREAT- An Experiential Lodge An eco-friendly accommodation located high on the hillside ridge in Srinagar Kashmir with stunning views of the Dal Lake and distant Pir Panjal mountain range. Qayaam Gah means a peaceful resting abode where you feel naturally at home and where you can be at your most authentic self. This is a retreat to discover the rich mystical and cultural heritage of Sufi way of life in its minimalist approach and conscious living in deep natural environment. The hinterland grounds of the complex have been purposefully left undisturbed so as to encourage the wildlife of the area. This includes many types of native and migratory birds, shy snow leopards and the winsome black sloth bears which come to pick the cherries in springtime. The site is nourished by natural spring water, conveyed by hidden pipes from the mountains behind. Despite such contemporary conveniences, not one tree was felled during the construction of this retreat and as well the undulating topography was retained with fruit bearing trees. Qayaam is a small place which has got just 6 rooms as single storey cottages built in simple design of cedar wood, glass and stone with details picked out in the traditional kashmiri style of fine carving in floral and vegetal motifs in deodar woodwork. No concrete boundary wall is made so as to let the nature & wildlife flow. Iron mesh fencing with flowering creepers is used instead. Hand made and hand-crafted products are used in the interiors. The reception and dining area has good stock of books about Wildlife, Himalaya & spiritual Kashmir. The entire premises is a strictly NO Plastic and NO Smoking zone. RO drinking water is provided in glass bottles. Biodegradable toiletries are used in bathrooms. Rooms are spacious with lot of natural light. Solar light and dim SFL bulbs are used to conserve energy. Rainwater harvesting is applied and as well waste is segregated in different types of dustbins to re-use & recycle. Compost pit is also constructed. Natural fresh vegetables are grown in our own kitchen garden. Local village people are employed and participation in community projects is done regularly. Food is cooked in natural ingredients and fresh local spices. High quality staff is employed and as well the local team is trained regularly for delivering professional and personalized services. Welfare and wellbeing of our staff is ingrained in our core philosophy and management policy.

23. Clubside Logo

Mr. Suresh Periwal Managing Director Mr. Sumit Periwal Director Mr. Amit Periwal CEO

E:[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

infinity-resort

Mrs. Rina Dilip Khatau Executive Director

Member Since: October-2009

Mr. Dilip D. Khatau of Khatau Business House started the Group’s first wild life resort, Infinity Corbett Wilderness (formerly known as Tiger Tops Corbett Lodge)in 1991 located along the banks of Kosi River at the fringe of Corbett National Park. This eco-friendly tourism project was first of its kind, and in recognition of this, the Government of India appointed Mr. Khatau on the Board of Uttar Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. This property, tastefully designed and having one of the best locations for a wildlife resort in India, is the most sought after resort among the nature lovers in India and abroad. The Khatau Business House was among the pioneers of the textile industry in India way back in 1874 and cement industry in 1920. Being the leader in the manufacturing of various varieties of saris, the famous voile sari was at one time synonymous with the name “Khatau”.

As the scion of the 4th generation of the powerful Khatau Business House, Mr. Dilip D. Khatau was instrumental in venturing overseas to East Africa and South East Asia in 1964. Eventually, in 1990s, the Dilip Khatau Group further diversified extensively in India into the production of footwear, cement, power cables, chemicals and shipping. Since 1994, the Group concentrated on shipping, tourism and wildlife conservation. An ardent wildlife lover since his childhood, Mr. Khatau’s passion took him to many wilderness areas such as Corbett National Park in India. During his 15 years of stay in Kenya, and later in South East Asia, his passion for wildlife hunting turned to serious wildlife protection and nature conservation. He later became an active member of the East African Wildlife Society. He was highly impressed by the way wildlife tourism had proliferated and gained popularity in Africa which had not taken off in India then. He dreamt of similar ventures in India where tourists can enjoy being in the wild, and at the same time, relax in the luxury and comfort of home. He is also a member of the National Board for Wildlife, India.

In 1991, he started the Group’s first wildlife resort, Infinity Corbett Wilderness (formerly known as Tiger Tops Corbett Lodge), located along the banks of Kosi River at the fringe of Corbett National Park. This eco-friendly tourism project was first of its kind, and in recognition of this, the Government of India appointed Mr. Khatau on the Board of Uttar Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. This property, tastefully designed and having one of the best locations for a wildlife resort in India, is the most sought after resort among the nature lovers in India and abroad.

With vast experience in both hospitality industry and wildlife conservation, the Group expanded its operations to the semi arid and unique landscape of Kutch, Gujarat. Thus, Infinity Rann of Kutch resort was established in 2008. The property with its elegant tented cottages is like an oasis in the desert! In October 2009, the group’s third resort, Infinity Bandhavgarh Wilderness, situated along the periphery of the famous Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, was opened. Infinity Bandhavgarh Wilderness is set amidst thick bamboo groves and natural vegetation. By the end of 2010, two more resorts will be added to the Group. They are located close to Kanha Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) and Kaziranga Tiger Reserve (Assam) and will be named as Infinity Kanha Wilderness and Infinity Kaziranga Wilderness, respectively. Conservation Corporation of India Pvt. Ltd. (CCIPL) was set up in 2009 as a holding company for the various resorts that the Group owns or will own in future with Mr. Khatau as its Chairman.

The Corbett Foundation (TCF), established in 1994, is a brain-child of Mr. Khatau. This Foundation is a testimony to his passion and heartfelt interest in the preservation of our natural heritage. With its mandate to preserve wildlife and nature with the involvement of the local communities, great work has been done at the grassroots-level work in and around Corbett and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves and also in Kutch. In conclusion, CCIPL and TCF are actually two sides of the same coin – the former complements and provides synergy to the latter. CCIPL strongly believes that conservation can only be achieved by involving the local stakeholders, providing them with employment opportunities and finally to lead a sustainable and harmonious lifestyle with nature. That’s why we say – Conservation is our business!

Swati Makkar Resort Manager

E:[email protected]

Member Since: Feb-2022

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Mr.  Sridhar M.M. Partner

E:[email protected]

Member Since: Apr-2023

Mr. Shahid Hassan Rah Director Mr. Ashfaq Hassan Rah Director

E:[email protected], [email protected]

Member Since: May-2023

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Nine Furlongs represents a timeless period that traverses the old Kumaoni and the British era of the yesteryears where much history has been written and mysteries remain. Surrounded by 50 Sq kms of verdant forest of the original and indigenous ancient Himalayan Oak and Rhododendron species, from where a 500 kms long panorama of unbroken views of the Himalayan ranges – Chaukhamba, Trishul,  Panchachuli, Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot greet you.

The Estate that welcomes you at Nine Furlongs was built in the mid 1800’s. The bungalows are as much a part of the land as are the evergreen forests that surround the Estate.

During the British times, our estate belonged to a succession of District Collectors who would ride to work on horseback and hold mobile courts in the villages to dispense justice and attend to grievances.

Our bungalows from that era which have been carefully restored keeping it’s original character intact. They are independently located to allow you to enjoy in quietude, the magnificent views of the snow clad mountain ranges that stretch from the Garhwal peaks in the west to the Tibet and Nepal summits in the east.

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HOETUS is a Travel-Tech Startup company based out of the foothills of Darjeeling, working with hundreds of indigenous Eco-Stays, local tour guides and EV Cabs to provide Eco-Tourism experiences through Responsible and Sustainable Tourism practices. We recognize the importance to decongest the regular tourism spots and rather encourage Travellers to experience the true colours of India through its variety and diversity of culture, food, traditions and weather.

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Route on Wheels  is a community dedicated to exploring, learning & growing. It gives an opportunity to discover simple ways to lead an extraordinary life – one that is truly meaningful to you.

We have the knowledge, we are connected, and we are absolutely passionate about designing the best holiday for you – enriching your life with amazing experiences.

We offer travel experiences from the Mighty Himalayas in the North to the Palm-fringed beaches of the South, from Ethnic Tribes of the North East to the colourful Thar Desert of Western India.

Route on Wheels  travel agency is the dream of  Vivek Rauthan  &  Ashishta Negi , backed by their vast experience of 12-15 years working in Indian tourism. We transformed our dream to the foundation in the year 2015 with a slogan of “Customer loyalty is priceless”.

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Pantellisense, a leading travel company, has been proudly shaping the world of responsible tourism for the past 11 years. With a deep commitment to sustainability, cultural immersion, and community engagement, Pantellisense offers travelers a transformative and conscientious travel experience.

Founded on the belief that travel has the power to make a positive impact, Pantellisense crafts unique itineraries that prioritize environmental conservation, social responsibility and economic development. Their team of dedicated travel experts work closely with local communities, striving to preserve and celebrate the natural and cultural heritage of each destination they operate in.From breathtaking eco-adventures in remote locations to culturally immersive trips that connect travelers with local traditions, Pantellisense offers a diverse range of travel experiences that cater to the discerning and conscious traveler. Every itinerary is meticulously designed to minimize environmental footprint, promote sustainable practices, and support local economies. Whether it’s exploring pristine national parks, participating in community-based initiatives, or engaging in  meaningful volunteer programs, Pantellisense ensures that every journey leaves a positive and lasting impression. With a decade of experience in responsible tourism, Pantellisense continues to redefine the travel industry by promoting ethical and sustainable travel practices. By choosing pantellisense, travelers embark on an extraordinary journey that not only fulfills their wanderlust but also contributes positively to the places they visit, creating a brighter and more responsible future for travel.

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At Skytrails, we believe that travel transcends merely reaching destinations; it’s about crafting unforgettable journeys and unveiling the world’s wonders. More than a bridge between places, we are the architects of cherished memories and the curators of dream adventures. Our heart beats with an unquenchable thirst for exploration, and our vision goes beyond the ordinary, turning travel into an art—a beautiful dance of dreams meeting reality. While we harness the power of cutting-edge technology, our soul thrives on the personal, human touch that transforms trips into remarkable tales. We stand not just as facilitators but as partners, celebrating every wanderer, pioneer, and dreamer. Our promise? To not only simplify your journey but to elevate every moment of it. At Skytrails, we offer more than just services; we weave experiences, blending your aspirations with the world’s wonders. Embark with us, and let’s turn each voyage into a story worth telling. Welcome to Skytrails, where your dreams find their wings.

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In the heart of the Western Ghats, our endeavor is inspired by the splendid surroundings. Panchabhuta Foundation’s principles drive us to enhance biodiversity, revive the ocean’s vitality, and responsibly harvest forest resources. We chose Responsible Tourism as one of the Foundation’s flagship initiatives prompting us to establish exemplars that go beyond conservation to actively regenerate the environment. We aim to strive for a sustainable ecosystem where resources are used thoughtfully, waste is minimized, and businesses operate with a deep commitment to environmental stewardship. Through collaboration, our hope is to set a meaningful standard for responsible and regenerative practices in the Tourism sector. Amidst the challenges of COVID-19, we pivoted to create Responsible Tourism exemplars. The foundational work for our inaugural exemplar, the Retreat @ the Foundation, commenced with collaborative efforts involving sustainability industry experts, designers, architects, and local artisans. This diverse team worked cohesively towards the shared vision of transforming the foundation into a nature immersive experiential retreat while standing by our core values of nature conservation. The transformation was laid with the use of locally sourced, reclaimed, and sustainable alternatives such as creative reuse of local wood, recycling old furniture, and the use of bamboo and cane to minimize our environmental footprint. Working with local artisans, we crafted bathrobes made entirely out of floral waste! Our property is equipped with solar panels that power all the lights and fans on site. We also have an organic garden on the premises where we grow our own turmeric, ginger, and other vegetables. Additionally, we have a phytoremediation gravel garden that utilizes green plants and associated microorganisms to purify the water that flows through it.

Our waste management system includes compost pits and segregation of waste to ensure we reduce our contribution to landfills. We are also working towards a plastic-free property by replacing plastic items with sustainable alternatives such as bamboo toothbrushes, and glass water bottles. Also, at A’KA our inhouse restaurant we prioritize fresh, locally sourced ingredients, embodying a slow and mindful approach to each dish.

We have adopted a unique invitation-only model, inviting guests and collaborators who share our passion for responsible tourism and commitment to preserving nature. By handpicking a select community of individuals who align with our values, we aim to create a shared sense of purpose and dedication. Our guests and collaborators have become integral parts in our collective efforts to conserve nature and champion responsible tourism.

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Harvest Fresh Farms is an Organic Fruit Farm and Farmstay nestled in the serene Cumbum Valley.

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Member Since: March 2017

Akshay Shanker Kulshrestha have worked with various tourism organizations after completing his education in Tourism and Travel Management. Presently, he is working as a Senior Supervisor (Tourism & Marketing) with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) and have been handling tourism and marketing along with off-board division of the world’s leading luxury train Maharajas’ Express. His experience at IRCTC has been extremely fruitful and was also awarded as the Employee of the year 2014 in individual category.

Along with his regular job he has been diligently pursuing his academic interest in the Travel and Tourism Sector, to strengthen his academic credentials and give have exposure to research in areas of his interest. He is on the cusp of attaining PhD in Tourism from Jiwaji University, Gwalior. His primary areas of expertise include Tourism Marketing, Luxury Tourism, Tour Operations, Sales, Product development, Business development, Local community development, Sustainable and Ecotourism, etc. He has also travelled few foreign nations as a part of his research.

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Ms. Bhaumik obtained her BA (H) in history & BA (Tourism) from University of Calcutta & IGNOU respectively, MA (Modern History) & MBA (Tourism) from Rabindra Bharati Universiry & University of Burdwan respectively as well as M.Phil in (Ecotourism) from The Global Open University (TGOU). She is pursuing her Ph.D from Aliah University. She also obtained few professional courses like Post Graduate Diploma in Event Management and Promotions, Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations, Post Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship, Post Graduate Diploma in International Business and Operations, Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration and Supervision, Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management, Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Research In Management (practical training on statistical packages for management research), Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management, Diploma in Training & Development, Diploma in IATA/UFTAA Foundation and EBT Course, Enter the world of Amadeus (ETWA-AMA), Enter the world of Automated Ticketing (ETWAT-AMA) as well as pursuing Post Graduate Diploma in Instructional Design from various recognised institutions. Her current research interests are Responsible Tourism and Community Development [Linkages among responsible tourism practices, perceptions on destination sustainability dimensions, and quality of life domains of local residents in tourism destinations of West Bengal]. She has published around two papers in national journals. She is a life time member of Indian Society for Training & Development (istd).

Ms. Bhaumik has twelve years of professional experience including working in tourism industry, teaching, training and research. She is also actively involved in the ongoing academic & administrative process in MAKAUT; WB & IGNOU.

Project guidance:

Ms. Bhaumik is actively associated (Representing MAKAUT; WB) with online internship program (new tourism related venture/entrepreneurial design), 2020 as a Resource Person (guide) under the banner of Tourism Startup ThinkTank organised by DTORR & Sustainable Development Goals.

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Department of Travel & Tourism Read More Rajiv Gandhi Govt. Polytechnic, Vivek Vihar, Itanagar – 791113, Arunachal Pradesh

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Dept. of Travel & Tourism, Rajiv Gandhi Govt. Polytechnic Read More Dept. of Travel & Tourism, Rajiv Gandhi Govt. Polytechnic, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh – 791113 Member Since: March 2017

Student Read More E-104, Mother Teresa Hall, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal – 721302 Member Since: October 2018

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Asst. Professor, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University Read More Center for Hospitality & Tourism, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir – 185234

Dr. Danish Iqbal Raina, With PhD in Customer Relationship Management has more than 12 years of experience in Teaching and Administration. A nature lover and admirer of Responsible tourism Practises, my area of research focuses on the role of local communities in establishing responsible tourism Practices.

Member Since: May 2019

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Asst. Professor Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences Read More A008, Temple Trees Apartment, J.P. Nagar, 6th Phase, Banglore, Karnatka – 560078

Member Since: June 2019

Dr. Sweety Jamgade, is an Asst. Professor in Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Hospitality and Catering Technology, Bangalore, India. Treasures 16 years of overall experience in Academics and Industry. Have keen interest in research area in Tourism and Hospitality stream , passionate about Ecotourism & Sustainable Development of rural areas. Presented and published research papers in several National and International Seminars, Conferences. Published several research articles in various college journals. Have profound zeal to guide students in their professional and personal grooming. Active travel review writer and blogger in https://allaboutecotourism.blogspot.in/ https://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Paryavaraniya-Paryatan-ECOTOURISM/ https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Nagpur/blog-964162.html https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Nagpur/blog-964164.html https://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Nagpur/blog-964165.html

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With the acumen gained from two successful careers, the first in the Indian Revenue Service and the second at HSBC in India and Hong Kong, Malini advises corporates and not-for-profit Boards to design and operationalise the effective integration of sustainability, communications and investor relations into their strategic vision, so as to future-proof their organisations.

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Dr. Navina Jafa, Director of Indian Cultural Heritage Research is a well-known academic, curator, writer, interpreter, and presenter of and on Indian Cultural Heritage and an acclaimed Indian Classical Dancer, Writer, and Cultural History and Dance Scholar. She specializes in inventive ways of documentation and exhibition that looks at the wider frame to address Traditional Skills of India and Asia through research and livelihood program.

Recent Awards:

Women Economic Forum: Exceptional Leaders of Excellence – April 2019

Woman of Pure Wonder – Vodafone Foundation – 2017

– Awarded the prestigious American Fulbright Scholarship she worked at the Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC and has taught in some leading universities. Through her illustrious work on Indian Heritage, she has educated World Leaders, Nobel Laureates, Corporate Executives, Students and Academics from leading world universities to understand the Indian and South Asian Civilization.

– Her book on Heritage Walks in a survey shows the creation of 1500 jobs in the field of tourism and personally has trained of over 1000 School Teachers in the States of Kashmir, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi-NCR to use Heritage Education for Multidisciplinary learning.

– Her model on using Development Communication using indigenous performing arts has been applied by her students from the Brandeis University in Ghana, Jordan, Philippines, and Iran. In the sector of sustainable tourism, organic agricultural practices; cultural identities; River rights and maternity health.

Her association with the Centre for New Perspectives, a Non-Profit Organization which works to address the sustainability of Creative Knowledge and Heritage skill communities.

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Member Since: Sep-2022

Lokesh Kumar has completed his Masters in Forest Management (2003-05 Batch) from Indian Institute of Forest Management – Bhopal, a premier Institute under the aegis of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He has more than 18 years of work experience in Tourism, Ecotourism/CBET, Wildlife, Skill Development and allied domains with various States such as Sikkim, MP, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Kerala etc. Since the inception of his career, he has worked with key entities of Ecotourism & Tourism repute like ECOSS Sikkim, Jungle Lodges & Resorts, Pragya, JPS Associates Consultants, Gujarat Tourism, Yes Bank’s Strategic Government Advisory, Odisha Tourism. His core areas of work include Policy Advocacy & Policy Preparation, Community Based Tourism Development, Investment Promotion Facilitation to State Governments, Natural Resource Management, Business Cluster Development, Skill Development and Livelihoods. His skill set includes Project Documentation & Report Preparations, Monitoring & Evaluation, Impact Assessment, Environment & Social Impact Assessment, Tourism Resource Mapping, APPA, Participatory & Rural Rapid Appraisals, Project Conceptualization and Structuring, PPP Structuring, Bid Process Management, Business Development & Competitive Bidding, Market Entry Strategy, Techno Commercial Feasibility and Proposal Writing. He has prepared several State Tourism Policies (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Daman & Diu UT, Gujarat etc), Homestay Policy (Gujarat & West Bengal), Skill Development Policy (Uttarakhand) and worked on numerous International Funded projects from UNDP, ADB, EU, JICA, CAMPA, The World Bank etc.

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Academically qualified in the areas of and armed with Post Graduate Degrees in History, Tourism, Business Administration and Law and a Research Degree in Tourism Management; Shaheeds’ focus area has been Tourism, Ecotourism, Mergers and Acquisitions and Human Resources. He also has a Micro-specialization in Strategy Management from Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode and a Corporate Program in Leadership Management from Harvard School of Publishing.

He brings to the table multiple facets of functioning that supports in any area of academics and practice in the corporate world. Having worked in the Government, Private and Social Sectors, Shaheed has got to broad understanding of Tourism, Travel and Hospitality (TTH)., Shaheed currently is the Head, Research, Training and Advocacy with Dharthi NGO and Dharthi Learning Centre, Pondicherry. Dharthi has its Headquarters in Bangalore and works with Private and Government organizations in the domain of Environment, Forests, Communities and Tourism. Shaheed had worked in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh for Dharthi.

He is also an Adjunct Faculty in the domain of Tourism, General Management, M&A in Educational Institutions (Central and State University, Deemed to be and Private Universities), and engages Class session for Corporates in Leading IT and manufacturing Companies of India. He has authored over 15 articles in Journals of repute and contributed to Chapters in Edited Books as well.

He has worked with other stakeholders to ensure for the Ecotourism segment and has been supporting the cause of Sustainable Tourism.

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Mr. Adil Ahmad has had a thirty+ years career in global consumer goods multinationals – first with Reckitt Bencksier plc (1986-2016) and then with Tata Consumer Products Ltd (2016-2022).

In his working career, Adil has held leadership positions in India and globally – across UK, India, Mideast and East Asia. His last position was President of International Business for Tata Consumer Products, based in London.

Adil is now based in Gurugram and working on his passion of history and culture, focusing on heritage awareness. He has authored a book about the historical monuments of Delhi.

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Dr. Niraalee Shah founded Image Building and Etiquette Mapping to help entrepreneurs create profitable businesses and brands that attract their ideal clients. A Corporate Trainer, Author, Tourism Trainer, Sustainability Trainer, Hospitality Trainer, Digital Marketing Consultant and Branding Consultant. Niraalee Shah helps corporates, organizations, travel agencies, tourism industry and hospitality industry and individual professionals to help embrace change and achieve breakthrough performance

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₹ 3 cr for overseas campaign" data-reg = "Budget 2024: Tourism ministry allocates ₹ 3 cr for overseas campaign">Budget 2024: Tourism ministry allocates ₹3 cr for overseas campaign

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‘Incredible’ no more. Last year too, the budget slashed overseas tourism promotion by a staggering amount

The tourism ministry has set aside a mere ₹3 crore for overseas promotion of India for its 'Incredible India' campaign.

New Delhi: First, the good news. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the interim budget on Thursday that the government would focus on developing new tourist destinations in India, boosting domestic tourism, and promoting spiritual tourism.

Now, the bad news. The tourism ministry has set aside a mere ₹ 3 crore for overseas promotion of India for its 'Incredible India' campaign. The long-running, award-winning campaign—under the sub-head of overseas promotion and publicity and market development assistance—was left by the wayside this year, as the ministry shrank its allocation by 97% from last year's ₹ 100 crore.

tourism secretary of india

The trend for tourism promotion has been declining. Last year, the budget slashed overseas tourism promotion by a staggering amount. The ministry spent just ₹ 89 crore in 2021-22 from its allocated ₹ 524 crore. The amount spent in FY23 further fell to ₹ 15.89 crore, only to rise somewhat in FY24 to ₹ 100 crore.

On the other hand, the ministry—headed by Gangapuram Kishan Reddy—has lowered its budget estimate from last year’s ₹ 2,400 crore to ₹ 2,080.03 crore for FY25, even though that is still a 22% increase from the ₹ 1,692 crore it actually spent. More than two thirds of the FY25 allocation, or ₹ 1,750 crore, has been kept aside for its Swadesh Darshan scheme. This scheme, set up in 2014-15, provides financial assistance to state governments to develop tourism infrastructure.

It has also completely removed the subhead of the 'Champion Services Sector Scheme', which was set up in 2023, for which ₹ 196 crore had been put aside last year. This year, the tourism ministry's Prashad Darshan scheme has been allocated a similar amount as last year, at ₹ 240 crore.

Terming the ₹ 3 crore outlay “hard to believe", Dipak Deva, managing director, Travel Corporation India Ltd, said it was clear that the government will not promote India overseas. “That is as good as nil. The figure has never been this low in any past budget. I would be keen to understand how India will be promoted abroad and how we will take advantage of international travellers wanting to travel to this region," he said.

"In order to get people to come to our country, we have to market ourselves as an interesting tourism destination. If we don't, countries like Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and others will continue to gain. China has a huge reduction in inbound tourism, and this is an excellent opportunity for us. Inbound tourism generated 10 million tourists and $30 billion in earnings prior to covid. This number is yet to be breached," Deva added.

Similarly, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) president Rajiv Mehra told Mint that with foreign offices of India's overseas promotion being closed, many tour operators have removed India from their travel brochures altogether.

"With a mere ₹ 3 crore allotted for overseas promotion, the tourism industry should now forget that the government will spend any money abroad or operate any FAM (familiarization) tours to bring international travel agents in. The only commendable thing this year is that the government has allotted some money for giving loans to states to improve areas in and around monuments, which can drive some tourism," he said.

The finance minister said that the success of organising the G20 meetings in 60 places presented the diversity of India to a global audience. This economic strength has made the country an attractive destination for business and conference tourism. "Our middle class also now aspires to travel and explore. Tourism, including spiritual tourism, has tremendous opportunities for local entrepreneurship. To address the emerging fervour for domestic tourism, projects for port connectivity, tourism infrastructure, and amenities will be taken up on our islands, including Lakshadweep. This will help in generating employment also," she said.

One travel expert said it was good that the country was focused on domestic tourism and could consider Gati Shakti and Swadesh Darshan schemes to help augment the development of new destinations. "The emphasis on domestic tourism is good, including Lakshadweep. However, its whole beauty and strength is very fragile, and development must not compromise the ecology. On the international front, I still feel we need a lot of promotion and marketing, and to neglect it completely will not be in the long-term [interest]," added M.P. Bezbaruah, secretary general of the Hotel Association of India and former tourism secretary in the government.

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Budget 2024: Tourism ministry allocates ₹3 cr for overseas campaign

N ew Delhi: First, the good news. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the interim budget on Thursday that the government would focus on developing new tourist destinations in India, boosting domestic tourism, and promoting spiritual tourism.

Now, the bad news. The tourism ministry has set aside a mere ₹ 3 crore for overseas promotion of India for its 'Incredible India' campaign. The long-running, award-winning campaign—under the sub-head of overseas promotion and publicity and market development assistance—was left by the wayside this year, as the ministry shrank its allocation by 97% from last year's ₹ 100 crore.

The trend for tourism promotion has been declining. Last year, the budget slashed overseas tourism promotion by a staggering amount. The ministry spent just ₹ 89 crore in 2021-22 from its allocated ₹ 524 crore. The amount spent in FY23 further fell to ₹ 15.89 crore, only to rise somewhat in FY24 to ₹ 100 crore.

On the other hand, the ministry—headed by Gangapuram Kishan Reddy—has lowered its budget estimate from last year’s ₹ 2,400 crore to ₹ 2,080.03 crore for FY25, even though that is still a 22% increase from the ₹ 1,692 crore it actually spent. More than two thirds of the FY25 allocation, or ₹ 1,750 crore, has been kept aside for its Swadesh Darshan scheme. This scheme, set up in 2014-15, provides financial assistance to state governments to develop tourism infrastructure.

It has also completely removed the subhead of the 'Champion Services Sector Scheme', which was set up in 2023, for which ₹ 196 crore had been put aside last year. This year, the tourism ministry's Prashad Darshan scheme has been allocated a similar amount as last year, at ₹ 240 crore.

Terming the ₹ 3 crore outlay “hard to believe”, Dipak Deva, managing director, Travel Corporation India Ltd, said it was clear that the government will not promote India overseas. “That is as good as nil. The figure has never been this low in any past budget. I would be keen to understand how India will be promoted abroad and how we will take advantage of international travellers wanting to travel to this region,” he said.

"In order to get people to come to our country, we have to market ourselves as an interesting tourism destination. If we don't, countries like Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and others will continue to gain. China has a huge reduction in inbound tourism, and this is an excellent opportunity for us. Inbound tourism generated 10 million tourists and $30 billion in earnings prior to covid. This number is yet to be breached,” Deva added.

Similarly, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) president Rajiv Mehra told Mint that with foreign offices of India's overseas promotion being closed, many tour operators have removed India from their travel brochures altogether.

"With a mere ₹ 3 crore allotted for overseas promotion, the tourism industry should now forget that the government will spend any money abroad or operate any FAM (familiarization) tours to bring international travel agents in. The only commendable thing this year is that the government has allotted some money for giving loans to states to improve areas in and around monuments, which can drive some tourism," he said.

The finance minister said that the success of organising the G20 meetings in 60 places presented the diversity of India to a global audience. This economic strength has made the country an attractive destination for business and conference tourism. "Our middle class also now aspires to travel and explore. Tourism, including spiritual tourism, has tremendous opportunities for local entrepreneurship. To address the emerging fervour for domestic tourism, projects for port connectivity, tourism infrastructure, and amenities will be taken up on our islands, including Lakshadweep. This will help in generating employment also," she said.

One travel expert said it was good that the country was focused on domestic tourism and could consider Gati Shakti and Swadesh Darshan schemes to help augment the development of new destinations. "The emphasis on domestic tourism is good, including Lakshadweep. However, its whole beauty and strength is very fragile, and development must not compromise the ecology. On the international front, I still feel we need a lot of promotion and marketing, and to neglect it completely will not be in the long-term [interest]," added M.P. Bezbaruah, secretary general of the Hotel Association of India and former tourism secretary in the government.

The tourism ministry has set aside a mere ₹3 crore for overseas promotion of India for its 'Incredible India' campaign.

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tourism secretary of india

USISPF appoints former revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj to head US-India Tax Forum

It is a tax policy-dedicated forum to foster a strong partnership between the two countries as an independent, not-for-profit institution..

Tarun Bajaj, newly appointed head of the US-India Tax Forum.

The US-India Tax Forum, an US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) initiative, has appointed Tarun Bajaj, the former Revenue Secretary and Secretary of Economic Affairs to the Government of India, as the new head of the Forum. 

Joined USISPF as an advisor to the Board of Directors in January 2024 his appointment is a testament to his significant experience and expertise in economic affairs and taxation matters. 

tourism secretary of india

During his tenure with the Indian government, he managed both the direct and indirect tax revenues for the government by working towards shaping fiscal policies and promoting economic growth. He was also instrumental in stabilising the Goods and Services Tax ( GST ). 

tourism secretary of india

Calling him an ideal candidate, Dr. Mukesh Aghi, USISPF President and CEO, said that his experience in leading fiscal and tax policies will be helpful to intricate economic terrains, nurturing strong economic bonds between both nations.

He is an 1988 batch IAS of Haryana Cadre who later played a critical role in formulating the Indian government’s economic response to the pandemic, including the rollout of various relief measures and economic stimulus packages. His financial insights played a key role in the formation of central government budgets for the 2021–22 and 2022–23 years.

Tarun Bajaj, speaking on his appointment, expressed that with this new role, he is looking forward to contributing to making the US- India Tax Forum a robust and effective institution.

It is a tax policy-dedicated forum to foster a strong partnership between the two countries as an independent, not-for-profit institution. It is trusted amongst the businesses, the diaspora of the two governments and non-profit organisations.

Officially launched on February 25, 2020, as an independent not-for-profit institution, it brings together government policymakers, global tax experts, governments of both countries, and the business community at large. The Forum is an initiative to provide a platform for member companies to engage with relevant government officials and facilitate discussions on tax issues to improve tax policy. It also contributes to enhancing the ease of doing business in the US-India corridor.

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COMMENTS

  1. Who's Who

    Ministry of Tourism, Government of India ... Under Secretary Niche Tourism, Swachh Bharat Mission Division : 7th Floor, Chanderlok Building, 36 Janpath, New Delhi , 110001. 011-23713521 [email protected] : Mr. Rajesh Kumar : Under Secretary Admin I, II, IV, International Cooperation Division ...

  2. Ministry of Tourism (India)

    In 2022, The Ministry of Tourism's joint secretary Chandu Burusu IAS collaborated with Ogilvy & Mather to create the Incredible India marketing initiative, aiming to promote India's image as a high-end tourist destination.. Incredible India 2.0 was launched on September 27, 2017, by President Ram Nath Kovind, on the occasion of World Tourism Day. ...

  3. V Vidyavathi to replace Arvind Singh as new Tourism Secretary

    Singh, a member of the Indian Administrative Service's 1988 batch, has been holding the position of Secretary of Tourism in India since September 2019. His tenure has been marked by several accomplishments in the growth and development of the country's tourism industry, including his ability to voice opinions even on global platforms.

  4. India Appoints V Vidyavathi as New Tourism Secretary

    India Appoints V Vidyavathi as New Tourism Secretary. Arvind Singh, Union Tourism Secretary, is superannuating on May 31, 2023. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has announced the appointment of V Vidyavathi (IAS) as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Tourism in the rank of Secretary. Vidyavathi is a 1991-batch IAS officer ...

  5. Home

    Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The Ministry of Tourism is running a scheme under which National Tourism Awards are given to Travel Agents and Tour Operators including best Adventure Tour Operator, best Domestic Tour Operator, most Innovative Tour Operator ,Best Mice Operator, Tourist Transport Operator, best Hotels in the different categories, Outstanding performers in Publishing ...

  6. V Vidyavathi Took Charge As Union Tourism Secretary

    Senior IAS officer Ms. V Vidyavathi has taken charge as the new Union tourism secretary. She replaced Arvind Singh. Just moment after taking charge Ms. Vidyavathi reviewed the preparations for the upcoming G20 events scheduled to take place in Goa. The Ministry of Tourism bid farewell to Arvind Singh and a cordial welcome to Ms. V. Vidyavathi ...

  7. V Vidyavathi is the new Tourism Secretary

    Vidyavathi is a 1991-batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre. Presently, she is posted as Director General in the Archaeological Survey of India. She will take over as Secretary of Ministry of Tourism vice Arvind Singh (IAS) upon his superannuation on May 31, 2023. https://traveltradejournal.com.

  8. Arvind Singh joins as the new Tourism Secretary

    Arvind Singh, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI) will replace Yogendra Tripathy as Secretary - Tourism, Government of India. The change at the Tourism Ministry is part of a reshuffle announced by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in the top level Indian Administrative Services responsibilities. Tripathy who has been Secretary Tourism since November 2018 has been shifted to the ...

  9. Ministry of Tourism launches the National Strategy for Sustainable

    Government of India Ministry of Tourism 04 JUN 2022 5:19PM by PIB Delhi. ... Speaking on the occasion Secretary Tourism Shri Arvind Singh said that Tourism and Environment share a Special Relationship. Their interaction with each other is a two-way process. On the one hand environmental resources constitute one of the basic ingredients of tourism.

  10. Press Information Bureau

    The event commenced with opening remarks by the Additional Secretary (Tourism), Government of India highlighting the importance of the G20 Tourism and SDG Dashboard and mentioned that the dashboard has been developed in line with the vision of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi to make India's Presidency inclusive, ambitious and action ...

  11. Cruise Tourism and Global Tourism Plastics Initiative will be key side

    Briefing media in New Delhi today, Secretary Tourism, Smt V. Vidyavathi said that under India's G20 Tourism Track, the Tourism Working Group is working on five inter-connected priority areas, which are Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, Tourism MSMEs, and Destination Management. Giving more details, the Secretary said that there are two ...

  12. India to develop 50 new tourism destinations: Union Tourism Secretary

    Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, India registered 6.19 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2022 registering a growth of 305 per cent as compared to 1.52 million in 2021. To promote tourism further, we plan to promote Green Tourism and open up 50 new Tourism destinations and launch publicity in overseas markets."

  13. Union Tourism Secretary: Sustainable tourism only way of expanding

    Union Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh on Sunday said sustainable tourism is the only way of expanding the sector and bringing expected change in the industry in Jammu and Kashmir. Singh attended ...

  14. Press Information Bureau

    During 2019, the contribution of travel & tourism to India`s GDP was 5.19% of the total economy. In 2019, the Indian tourism sector accounted for 79.86 million jobs (direct and indirect employment). The consistent efforts of the Central and the State Governments has helped the tourism industry to gradually recover from the Covid-19 pandemic ...

  15. The sustainable tourism certification will be applied, says the

    As tourism is a State subject, and most of the work has to happen at that level, said secretary - tourism, Government of India, Arvind Singh. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) recently organised a webinar where Arvind Singh, secretary - tourism, Government of India repeated that the government is committed to the implementation of the Sustainable Tourism Criteria for India (STCI ...

  16. HAI meets Union Tourism Secretary and presents Vision2047, a report on

    23 rd August 2023, New Delhi: As the tourism and hospitality sectors move on the path of recovery and growth after the two traumatic years of the pandemic, the Hotel Association of India (HAI) has come out with a vision and a roadmap for the future of the sector. HAI met the hon'ble secretary (tourism) , Mrs.V.Vidyavathi recently and presented her with a copy of the report "Vision 2047 ...

  17. Ministry of Tourism

    Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Telephone : + 011-23321380, 23731925 Fax : Email Id : [email protected], [email protected] Office Address : Room No. 117 ...

  18. Ministry of Tourism, Government of India participates in World Travel

    Ministry of Tourism, Government of India participates in World Travel Market (WTM) 2023, London from 6 - 8 November 2023. ... Throughout the day, the Secretary Tourism met important tour operators, media and important stakeholders in the UK market. In WTM 2023, 47 participants including tour operating companies / DMCs, State Tourism Departments ...

  19. Framework for National Digital Tourism Mission will be ready soon

    Arvind Singh, Secretary - Tourism, Government of India has said that the Ministry has started initial deliberations on the National Digital Tourism Mission for India and the framework for the same will be ready in the next couple of months. Singh said this while speaking at an e-conclave on travel and tourism organised by FICCI. He said that the initiative is intended to connect all ...

  20. Rakesh Kumar Verma promoted as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of

    Hailing from the Punjab cadre, Verma is a 1993 batch IAS officer, who is serving as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism since January 2020. Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), Rakesh Kumar Verma has been empanelled for holding Additional Secretary level post at Government of India with upgradation in his current rank ...

  21. About Us

    Rohit sits on the boards of several trade associations as part of his 'volunteerism' efforts. Some of them include being the first Secretary of Young Tourism Professionals (worldwide), the youngest Hony. Secretary of PATA India and formerly on the International board of PATA.

  22. Budget 2024: Tourism ministry allocates ₹3 cr for overseas campaign

    Now, the bad news. The tourism ministry has set aside a mere ₹ 3 crore for overseas promotion of India for its 'Incredible India' campaign. The long-running, award-winning campaign—under the ...

  23. US considers relaxing travel warnings for China-bound Americans

    The US is exploring lifting travel advisories for Americans visiting China, aiming to improve interactions. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell highlighted restored communication channels but ...

  24. Back to Black (2024)

    Back to Black: Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. With Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan, Lesley Manville. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

  25. Budget 2024: Tourism ministry allocates ₹3 cr for overseas campaign

    The tourism ministry has set aside a mere ₹ 3 crore for overseas promotion of India for its 'Incredible India' campaign. The long-running, award-winning campaign—under the sub-head of overseas ...

  26. USISPF appoints former revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj to head US-India

    The US-India Tax Forum, an US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) initiative, has appointed Tarun Bajaj, the former Revenue Secretary and Secretary of Economic Affairs to the Government of ...