India wants to fully utilise the potential of adventure tourism while considering sustainability and local community livelihood chances. G Kishan Reddy, the tourism minister, remarked
India is looking to explore the full potential of adventure tourism keeping in mind sustainability and livelihood opportunities for local communities, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Saturday.
Addressing a side event of the second G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting on "tourism as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development goals", the minister hoped the discussions held at the meet will help countries around the world overcome the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector.
He said India's topography provides for an ideal destination for sustainable adventure tourism.
"We have a 7,000-km coastline, 70 per cent of the Himalayas, about 700 kilometres of rivers, sand desert and cold desert in Ladakh...all of which provide opportunities for a variety of adventure activities for both domestic and foreign tourists," Reddy said.
"India is looking to explore the full potential of adventure tourism keeping in mind sustainability and opportunities for livelihood for local communities," he said.
The topography is ideal for camping, paragliding, hot air ballooning, river cruising, sailing, snorkelling and wild life safari, he added.
"To take full advantage of India's topography, the country is determined to develop sustainable tourism," Reddy said.
Reddy further said India is building awareness clubs in universities to create a sense of responsibility towards Indian heritage.
India's G20 Coordinator Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India is a country of the size of a continent and has immense potential for adventure tourism.
"The discussion (at the meeting) will benefit countries across the world who are overcoming challenges of COVID-19," he said.
The 2nd Tourism Working Group Meeting is being held in Darjeeling and Siliguri from April 1 to 3.
The meeting is being attended by more than 130 participants, including delegates of G20 members, invitee countries and international organisations, industry partners, state tourism officials and local tour operators.