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Tag: Ministry of Tourism

  • India’s tourism ministry strikes deal with Netflix to showcase destinations through film

    India’s tourism ministry strikes deal with Netflix to showcase destinations through film

    NEW DELHI: India’s ministry of tourism has signed a memorandum of understanding with Netflix to promote the country’s destinations through cinematic storytelling, marking a bold digital pivot in the government’s tourism strategy.

    The partnership, announced at a World Tourism Day celebration in New Delhi, will use curated trailers and global outreach to showcase Indian locations to Netflix’s worldwide audience. The streaming giant’s involvement signals India’s recognition that modern tourism marketing requires Hollywood-scale production values and global distribution networks.

    The ministry also signed agreements with the Atithi Foundation and online travel agencies to boost strategic research, innovation and capacity building. These deals aim to collect post-travel visitor feedback, enabling data-driven policy decisions across states and union territories.

    Niti Aayog vice-chairperson Suman Bery told the gathering that tourism was “not just about leisure” but “a powerful instrument for economic transformation, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion.” Speaking as chief guest at the event, presided over by minister of state for tourism Suresh Gopi, Bery emphasised that India must “embed sustainability at the core of our strategy, not at the margins.”

    The celebration launched a Project Management Information System providing real-time monitoring of tourism infrastructure projects. The ministry also released its 66th India Tourism Data Compendium, highlighting record international and domestic arrivals. India now ranks 20th globally for international tourist arrivals.

    A new guidebook for Mudra loans for homestays was unveiled, offering step-by-step instructions for online applications through the Jan Samarth portal—part of efforts to democratise tourism entrepreneurship.

    High-level panels featuring officials from road, aviation, railways and shipping ministries stressed seamless multimodal connectivity as essential for sustainable growth. Thematic sessions examined case studies including Mahakumbh 2025 and the Statue of Unity, alongside discussions on using artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality to enhance visitor experiences.

    The Netflix deal represents a savvy acknowledgment that in an attention economy, even ancient temples and pristine beaches need cinematic treatment to cut through the noise. Whether Hindi movie and series creativity meets Silicon Valley can deliver the tourists remains to be seen.

  • India’s tourism bonanza continues as foreign arrivals hit record high

    India’s tourism bonanza continues as foreign arrivals hit record high

    MUMBAI: India’s tourism sector is roaring back to life, with foreign tourist arrivals surging to nearly 100 million last year—the highest on record. The ministry of tourism announced that 99.5 million foreigners visited India in 2024, up from just 15.3 million during the pandemic-ravaged year of 2021.

    The recovery has been spectacular. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism more than quadrupled from Rs 64,000 crore in 2021 to Rs 293,000 crore in 2024. Tourism’s share of GDP has jumped from a measly 1.5 per cent in 2020-21 to 5.2 per cent in 2023-24, making it a significant economic driver.

    Americans lead the charge, with 1.8 million visitors in 2024, followed closely by Bangladeshis at 1.75million. The British, Australians and Canadians round up the top five source markets. Notably, Australia saw its visitor numbers soar from just 34,000 in 2021 to over 518,000 in 2024.

    The boom has created jobs too. Employment in tourism rose from 68 million  positions in 2020-21 to 84.6 million in 2023-24, providing livelihoods for millions across the country.

    Union minister for tourism and culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat shared these figures in parliament, highlighting how India has bounced back from the travel restrictions that decimated global tourism. International tourist arrivals, including non-resident Indians, reached 206 million in 2024.

    The numbers suggest India is capitalising on pent-up demand for travel as the world emerges from the pandemic’s shadow. With its rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes and competitive costs, India appears well-positioned to maintain this momentum.

  • MakeMyTrip & Ministry of Tourism launch ‘India: The Homecoming’ campaign

    MakeMyTrip & Ministry of Tourism launch ‘India: The Homecoming’ campaign

    Mumbai: Millions of people of Indian origin living worldwide often feel a deep sense of pride and nostalgia on special occasions like Independence Day. To honor this connection, MakeMyTrip, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, has launched a campaign for India’s 78th Independence Day, titled ‘India: The Homecoming.’

    The campaign features an online film narrated by the legendary Gulzar Saab, showcasing India’s transformation. The film’s central message is: “कितना हुआ है इन दिनों बदलाओ तो देखो, तुम अपने घर में लौट कर आओ तो देखो” (kitna hua hai inn dino badlav toh dekho, tum apne ghar mein laut kar aao toh dekho).

    Highlighting the importance of the campaign, minister of tourism & culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, “In our efforts to enable Indian diaspora become Incredible India Ambassadors through the Chalo India initiative, the call to encourage Indian diaspora to rediscover their homeland and experience a transformed India, is paramount. This Independence Day, we call upon Indian diaspora across the globe to take a trip back home, and experience Incredible India in all its richness, not just for themselves – but for everyone whom Incredible India awaits.”

    MakeMyTrip co-founder & group CEO Rajesh Magow said, “We are thrilled to launch the ‘India: The Homecoming’ campaign, aimed at inviting the Indian diaspora to rediscover a transformed India. By highlighting the progress, beauty, diversity, and rich heritage, we aim to inspire a sense of pride and nostalgia, encouraging the global community to visit and explore the nation. This initiative is about celebrating the unbreakable bond that every Indian, no matter where they are in the world, shares with their homeland.”

    Building on the recent announcement of MakeMyTrip’s global accessibility, which now allows travellers worldwide to engage with the platform seamlessly, this campaign also extends the legacy of last year’s successful Independence Day initiative, ‘The Traveler’s Map of India.’ This initiative highlighted over 600 hidden travel destinations across the country, promoting domestic tourism and uncovering the nation’s hidden gems.

  • Incredible India launches short-film contest for travellers

    Incredible India launches short-film contest for travellers

    MUMBAI: Incredible India, an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism in association with content-based digital solutions provider Trivone, Bangalore-based digital media and content services company, has launched a short film contest for travelers.

    The aim of the contest is to promote tourism by depicting pristine destinations within the country. It is open to both Indians and foreign nationals. Anyone who loves traveling and capturing those moments can upload travel videos of less than 3 minutes’ duration, on the Pixel13 (www.pixel13.in) website to showcase the best of their experiences.

    Trivone founder and CEO L Subramanyan said “We are happy to join hands with Incredible India to promote Indian tourist destinations globally. Our aim is to get tourists to document and articulate their experience through a short video film that can be accessed by anyone who visits the website. We also think that such a venture can create awareness of little known places within the country which have thus far remained unexplored.”

    The jury is headed by filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao and actor Kamal Haasan. 
    The short-film adjudged as the ‘Best Film’ based on the online poll and jury will receive a prize worth Rs 50,000.

  • Volkswagen, Ministry of Tourism join hands for Clean India campaign

    Volkswagen, Ministry of Tourism join hands for Clean India campaign

    MUMBAI: European passenger car manufacturer Volkswagen in association with the Ministry of Tourism has kick-started its Clean India campaign. As per the plan, every year 9 January will be marked as ‘Clean India Day‘.

    The inauguration of this campaign was held at the India Gate in New Delhi today.

    The car manufacturer had launched “The Think Blue campaign” in India in March last year.

    Keeping in line with this pledge, Volkswagen has undertaken many initiatives to keep Indian cities clean and green following the introduction of this campaign, the company said.

    Volkswagen Group Sales India member of Board and director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Neeraj Garg said, “Ever since the launch of our Think Blue campaign in India we have been initiating numerous cleaning drives, campaigns to plant more trees and to stop littering our surroundings by creating art pieces from the scrap that people throw.”

    He added, “Today, we have taken another step in order to encourage more people to pledge towards a cleaner India by supporting the Ministry of Tourism‘s campaign of ‘Clean India‘. It is an honour to be able to work together with the Indian Government towards fulfilling our pledge to Think Blue for a beautiful India.”

    About Think Blue. campaign:

    It is a firm feature of Volkswagen Brand‘s ecologically sustainable activities. Volkswagen connects innovation and responsibility for the environment by acting as a unit. While the Brand stands on three main pillars of Valuable, Innovative and Responsible, Think Blue. stands on the pillars of ‘Solution, Individual Behaviour and Involvement.‘

    The key contributors to the Think Blue. credibility mindset is the Brand‘s low emission, fuel saving products under the umbrella brand of BlueMotion Technologies. BlueMotion Technologies is a range of innovations and refinements that help save fuel and money without taking the fun out of driving.

    About Volkswagen:

    Volkswagen, a leading carmaker in Europe sells its broad model range from the Fox to the Phaeton in more than 150 countries worldwide. Volkswagen offers the Polo, Vento, Jetta, Passat, New Beetle, Touareg and the Phaeton in India.

    Press Contact:

    Volkswagen Group Sales India Private Limited:

    Snehal Kurup / Gagan Mangal
    Snehal.kurup@volkswagen.co.in / gagan.mangal@volkswagen.co.in

    HANMER MSL

    Glen D‘Souza / Arun Thankappan
    glen@hanmermmsl.com / arun.thankappan@hanmermsl.com

  • Crayons bags Incredible India digital mandate

    Crayons bags Incredible India digital mandate

    MUMBAI: Ultraviolet Digital, the digital arm of Crayons Advertising, has won the digital duties for the Ministry of Tourism’s Incredible India campaign. The agency will be handling the digital promotion of the tourist campaign in order to give it a worldwide reach.

    Crayons Advertising president Ranjan Bargotra said, “Nowadays the traveller is literally online. He turns to the internet for his research and bookings. We plan to combine a host of things in the digital medium to ensure that the Incredible India campaign reaches maximum travellers across the globe.”

    The client brief requires the agency to drive traffic and create imagery for the tourist all over the world. The digital leg of the Incredible India campaign would be one of the single largest efforts of its kind, the agency said.

    The agency also handles the digital duties for Kerala Tourism and the print mandate for the Incredible India Campaign.

  • BBC World to host golf tournament in partnership with Ministry of Tourism

    MUMBAI: BBC World will be hosting the Spirit of Golf 2007 tournament on 20 January in New Delhi. This is the second time the channel has hosted the tournament.

    The channel will host the event in association with the Ministry of Tourism, India. The event will see corporate and political leaders, and city socialites compete for the Spirit of Golf top honours. This year’s participants include: Mr. Lloyd Mathias, MD Motorola; Harinder Sikka, vice president -Sales & Marketing; Nicolas Piramel; Restaurateur; AD Singh and Mr. Robert Vadera.

    Ministry of Tourism Joint Secretary Amitabh Kant who will also be participating says: “Golf is a unique tourism product and has huge opportunity in India. There is outstanding private infrastructure already available and golf tourism will form an integral part of the Incredible India campaign. We are happy to partner with BBC World’s Spirit of Golf 2007.”

    Following the launch of BBC World’s first ever localised advertising campaign, What Affects the World, Affects You the Spirit of Golf initiative strives to take forward the channel’s commitment to its corporate business partners in India.

    BBC World global director airtime sales Jonathan Howlett says, “Spirit of Golf is part of our endeavour to constantly develop and strengthen relationships with our customers and business partners. The tournament provides an opportunity for them to come together and interact in that special way that a game of golf provides. This year we are delighted to have the support of the Ministry of Tourism in building on the success of last year’s tournament.”

    The prize sponsors for Spirit of Golf 2007 are Sri Lankan Airlines, ITC Welcome Group, Britain – The May Fair and ACP- Rail International. The event is being managed by TSM. The first prize is an all expenses paid five day vacation to the UK, while the runners-up will receive a two days three nights stay in a premium property from the ITC Welcome Group.