Inaugural session of 3rd #G20 #Tourism Working Group Meeting at #Srinagar. Office of LG
honorable Union minister of State for Science and Technology SRI jitendra Singh Ji honorable minister of State for tourism SRI Ajay bhajji lieutenant governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir SRI Manoj sinhaji G20 Sherpa Shri Amitabh kantuji G20 Chief coordinator Mr harshvardhan shingla delegates from G20 member countries guest countries and international organizations ladies and gentlemen it is an honor to welcome all the India's G20 presidency it is my pleasure to extend a heartfelt welcome to all the esteemed delegates representing G20 member countries guest countries and representatives of international organizations answer common goals in the tourism sector it has been an Endeavor of the ministry of Tourism to provide delegates a varied experience of India's cultural and natural heritage the first meeting of the working group was organized in the western past and remnants of early human civilization the Run of Kutch provided a remarkable experience to our delegates the second tourism working group beating was organized in the eastern part of India in Siliguri and Darjeeling located in the state of West Bengal the region with its breathtaking views of lush green Hills Scenic Mountain Vistas tea Estates and cultural diversity offered a truly enchanting experience to all the delegates and now for the third meeting we have gathered in the northern part of India in this beautiful Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir this picturesque destination set amidst The Majestic Himalayas posts of captivating Lakes Serene valleys and a vibrant local culture objective remains steadfast to Foster an atmosphere of ambition inclusivity and decisive action in pursuit of our common goals it is through our Collective efforts and collaboration that we can achieve concrete outcomes that will benefit our Nations and the global tourism community yesterday we had a side event on film tourism for economic growth and cultural preservation followed by a spectacular experience of Shikara rights in the dull Lake the evening that followed took us through a host of beautiful local Performing Arts in the form of Music and Dance the artfully created local Cuisine added flavor to the experience and as we progress through our agenda we have designed a host of similar immersive experiences for you to enjoy I extend my warmest wishes for a comfortable and memorable stay in Srinagar the enchantic setting for our meeting colleagues let us seize this opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions exchange insights and fought Partnerships that will shape the future of Tourism together we can create a transformative impact and shape the tourism sector in our countries and globally to contribute to the sustainable development goal of our Nations and create opportunities and for growth and development of our people may I now request the chief coordinator G20 Secretariat SRI harshvardhan shingla to of deliver his address honorable minister of Tourism culture and the northeastern region honorable minister of State independent charge for Science and Technology in Earth Sciences Dr jitendra Singh Ji honorable minister of State for tourism honorable lieutenant governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Manoj synergy honorable G20 Sherpa amitab kanji secretary tourism SRI arvind Singh Ji OSD for the ministry of Tourism distinguished ambassadors and high Commissioners and G20 delegates friends namaskar and good morning let me Begin by joining secretary tourism and extending a very warm welcome to Srinagar to all of our G20 delegates for the working group and tourism this morning I want to confine my remarks to a few points first and foremost our thanks and appreciation to the government of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the excellent arrangements made we have had the opportunity to begin preparation sometime back and we have seen remarkable transformations in the urban environment and in terms of many of the arraignments that have been made especially for this G20 meeting I hope our delegates will have the opportunity to visit this newly renovated smart city of Srinagar it's iconic and historic sites that are here the markets are second as you're aware we are Midway through India's G20 presidency with having hosted 118 meetings in 46 different cities of our country so far um third of course as secretary tourism is said this is the third meeting of the working group and tourism the first meeting when the runoff Cuts in the western part of India the second in Darjeeling in the eastern part and the third of course in Srinagar and Jammu and Kesh made in the northern part of our country of course as I mentioned you Srinagar is perhaps one of our most iconic tourism locations and I think we are very privileged to be here uh I think the uh historic couplet that you will see in the Shalimar bhag when you visit it that if there is a paradise on Earth it is this it is this it is this I think is not overstated it is also not surprising that over 18 billion tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir uh last year and we expect the figures to be even higher this year the G20 meeting on tourism will undoubtedly spur a greater number of tourists to visit this very uh important tourist locations including tourists from all of your countries this we have no doubt will bring much needed cheer to the local Traders and craftsmen who depend on tourism uh fourth and lastly I want to felicitate the chair of your meeting Mr arvind Singh who is Secretary tourism in the government of India has been the driving force behind the success of three working group meetings held under our presidency uh we have been fortunate to have him at the helm of this process and as the voting motivating force behind its success with the encouragement of The Honorable minister of Tourism uh arvind Singh is lit an outstanding team of officers and I have wished to take this opportunity to congratulate him and his entire team for the Estella Grant to address today's Gathering and offer his remarks honorable ministers distinguished lieutenant governor my distinguished colleagues ladies and gentlemen all the distinguished delegates who've come from different parts of the world uh I take this opportunity of welcoming a very very important working group what you recommend here would find a very major place in the final leaders communique which will be issued after the meeting of the leaders on September 9th and 10th it is important because tourism is a very major driver of growth it is a very major driver of job creation book has identified five priority areas green tourism digitalization skill development tourism msmes and destination management and let me say that commendable progress has been made on these in the previous meetings I would like to congratulate all the tourism delegates on their very successful deliberations and on the agenda for sustainable development which would leverage tourism development for achieving sustainable development goals under the broad theme of travel for Life the G20 tourism track is also working to further the achievement of green inclusive and resilient tourism development as the voice of the global South and an emerging economy India's presidency is focus on tourism has been Guided by efforts to build back the tourism sector better following the covid-19 pandemic globally ladies and gentlemen the tourism sector has very critical role to play in Skilling reskilling and upskilling for the tourism sector and all of us have to into the way for traditional and new sectors and areas of work in tourism which will be dominated by msmes and startups in the coming year the intrusion of Srinagar as an export-based sectors while focusing on sustainable tourism ladies and gentlemen over the next two days you will truly experience why this part of the world is called heaven on Earth as our prime minister Mr narain Modi emphasizes tourism is the jewel in India's crown and tourism is a natural magnet for tourism with its Alpine Forest uh high mountains lakes ski slopes and verdant valleys uh ladies and gentlemen the people of Jammu and Kashmir have always complemented the natural beauty and Bounty of this place with the rich tradition of warmth and Hospitality this is the Bedrock for creating a successful tourism experience last year we had record number of tourists in this Jammu and Kashmir which is the highest in 75 years of India's independence ladies and gentlemen we are extremely grateful for to all of you for joining us in in this beautiful city of Kashmir in Srinagar this is a record number of delegates that we have received amongst all all the working groups and this is the highest number of delegates that we have received and we are very thankful to all of you who've come from different parts of India I would like to particularly thank the lieutenant governor Mr Manoj Sinha and his full team and I would also like to thank uh The Honorable minister of Tourism Mr kishan ready and the secretary Mr arvind Singh for the extremely constructive ideas inputs for the substantial not merely the substantial part of the discussions which will follow after this inaugural session but for the very very uh constructive and very very uh fine Arrangements that they have done here thank you very much ladies and gentlemen thank you sir it is now my honor to invite respected lieutenant governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir srimanoj Synergy to share his hearts with us honorable Union minister of Tourism and culture remember it is from The Observer countries delegates of G20 Nations friends from tourism sectors and media ladies and gentlemen it gives me immense pleasure to welcome you all to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the third tourism working group meeting under the presidency of India I hope you are enjoying the warm hospitality and press Time beauty of Srinagar dear friends Jammu Kashmir is known as Crown Jewel of India and today I would like to say that it is a matter of great pride for 13 million citizens of this Union territory to host this G20 meeting of Tourism working group that is deliberating on global architecture for sustainable tourism friends have always been a center of wisdom knowledge inclusive culture and breathtaking landscape that is divine to Travelers famous poet while describing the natural beauty of Jammu and Kashmir in 13th century had said and I quote Garfield those if there is a paradise on Earth it is this it is this it is this so it is not surprising that in the modern days one of the oldest travel guide book published a Lonely Planet chose to call Jammu Kashmir as Switzerland of India friends for almost 30 years this land of peaceful coexistence of almost all religious sects had to suffer a state-sponsored terrorism by our neighboring country however honorable prime minister SRI Narendra Modi Ji through development schemes that empowers masses and union territories effective Administration isolated the terror ecosystem which thrived with the support from across the body Jammu Kashmir is witnessing a new era that has opened Limitless possibilities of growth and peace now even foreign investments are also coming into Jammu and Kashmir green suits of better times people are anxiously looking up to friends I will run you through broad Contours of our deep dive initiatives to demonstrate India's result the Jammu kashmirs would also benefit from the virtues of democracy like the rest of this Estates and union territories equally pertinent is that tourism cannot grow in isolation the economics of it is fine the tourism needs good infrastructure sound policies and effective and responsive governance no less fundamental to me is the fact that only peace and happiness of people can bring warmth through the Jammu kashmiri stands among the developed regions of India and some miserable Miley stones and we are committed for people's Prosperity both economically and socially honorable prime minister has completely eliminated Injustice exploitation and discrimination with several sections of society faced for seven long decades going to circumstances that evolved mostly because of orchestration from abroad friends we are ensuring social equality and equal Economic Opportunity to all citizens which is also enabling them to contribute to the nation building grassroot democracy has been stranded new Industries are coming up rapid agricultural growth is making our Villages prosperous new institutions have been opened up in higher education youths are being trained for industry 4-0 infrastructure development is progressing rapidly and our emphasis on technology is transforming Jammu Kashmir into a digital Society in the past four years the ranking of Jammu Kashmir and the various parameters of sustainable development goals have gone up thanks to Visionary leadership of honorable prime minister Modi and the world can see the entire Society especially the Young Generation is descripting a bright future for themselves and the nation the speed and the scale of Rapid development in Jammu Kashmir are all inspiring our speed to execute infrastructure projects has gone up almost 10 times I will give you a small example in the last Financial year we have completed 92 560 projects this achievement is a testimony to our resolve of peace and prosperity and making all our citizens equal Partners in this journey of growth French the kobit pandemic met the world realize the hard way the virtues of Travelers well-being and also the values of a shared Vision one Earth one family and one future the Paradigm Shift towards sustainable living inclusive and sustainable development is also an opportunity to provide new impetus to sustainable tourism I am truly delighted that under India's G20 presidency the G20 tourism working group listen it is a poetry it is the land of realization it is an energy field vibrating with the Ageless Indian culture environmental awareness numbers are adding to the narrative last year a record number of 18 million tourists visited Jammu Kashmir and the last year tourism sector made more than seven percent contribution to the Jammu Kashmir GDP we have 25 300 new destinations to promote green tourism small and medium Enterprises Youth and women entrepreneurs and involve local communities to support the sustainable tourism the Somalian reason is blessed to have 55 green and Forest cover and last year alone we have planted more than 16 million trees to give a renewed push to Green tourism and to provide new gateways and stunning Eco destinations for the domestic as well as International Travelers tourism sector in Jammu Kashmir has been accorded the status of industry and all fiscal incentives as power Indus as per our industrial policy and I can tell you we are receiving massive investment proposal from the stress Industries in Hospitality sector friends Jammu Kashmir used to be the favorite location for Bollywood film industry till late 1980s after a long pause of almost four decades we have revived the relationship with Bollywood and launched the film policy in 2021 to attract more investment into film sector and to make Jammu Kashmir most popular film shooting destination last year alone more than 300 movies were filmed in the region and such enthusiasm is bringing about the qualitative change in the lives of the people for The Travelers who want to explore the Charming and adorable villages we have come up with Homestay facilities it is being promoted and marketed by harnessing the power of digital tools and it also ensures that incredible ecology is protected and promoted we are grateful to honorable prime minister Mr Modi for his consistent effort to develop Jammu and Kashmir as one of the most thoughts of Christopher's patnita are now in the global tourism map and offering stunning scenery skying snowboarding trekking beautiful and iconic mountain ranges spiritual experiences and Rich cultural convas several destinations in Jammu Kashmir are living examples of connect between the ancient and the modern inclusive culture history music and traditional cuisine that can truly provide elevated travel experiences to the people we are developing the country's first book Village on the banks of wooler lake and many hiking trails for tourists who love strength quality of nature our aim is to make the countryside in popular destinations more sustainable and preserve the beauty of fascinating Heritage sites I am confident under the leadership of honorable prime minister Mr Modi find its place in the top 50 destinations in the world and it will be on the Travel bucket list of Google Global Travelers through this empowered Gathering I invite the world to Jammu and Kashmir give us a chance to host you and for you to know us come enjoy and regenerate yourself with these words I once again welcome delegates of G20 Nations I wish you all a fruitful enlightened discussion and positive outcomes that will help us building a Global architecture for sustainable growth in tourism sector I hope you will also enjoy our warm hospitality and breathtaking views of the lake Jai Hind thank you sir [Applause] I would like to Express gratitude to honorable lieutenant governor for sharing his thoughts and would also like to thank him for the wonderful hospitality extended by the administration under his leadership to all the G20 delegates and invitees who are present here now I would like to invite honorable Union minister of State for Science and Technology srijitendra Singh ji to share his thoughts with us foreign Minister for tourism government of India minister of State lieutenant governor ship coordinator security tourism arvind Singh OSD tourism senior officers from the ministry of Tourism and most importantly a rivered guests and delegates from different G20 and invit countries at the outside it is my pleasure to welcome you all incidentally this also happens to be my native place and it's also equally gratifying for me to be a part of this event it's a bright sunny morning today are the banks of the lake and I must say that it's a special year indeed for India the year of 2023 this is the year when India got the opportunity to host G20 under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi this also happens to be the international year of Village which was again at the west of India one of the staple rights in member parts of country which is only for the second time it was about eight years back it was U.N on this proposal of India declared International Day of yoga the 21st of June so I think it's a very auspicious timing of the event happening over here and all the friends from different parts of the country being here as you all know the analysis you've been going around since yesterday I'm sure this visit of yours will also add some added value with the picturesque Scenic Beauty around and of course the accusing which you might have tasted yesterday and would continue to do today as well I think coming straight to G20 presidency I'm sure you must have realized that the theme which is really thoughtfully worked upon by Prime Minister Modi is which in other words means one Earth one family one future and if you give it a deeper thought it is in fact a reflection of the reverence that traditionally India has for the value of life life in Saul forms human life the animal life the plant life the microorganism life and the G20 logo reflects three colors which are indeed the colors of the tri-color which also happens to be the national flag of India and the visual of Mother Earth in the logo symbolizes are Propel Planet approach or Pro planet leanings and today when we meet here at the scenic spot of Srinagar we have this deep realization within us that we are all a part of the global world and India under Prime Minister Modi is very conscious of that our challenges are Global our concerns are global our benchmarks are Global and our growth has also to be Global that's why Prime Minister Modi has been time and again in cop meeting expressing his concern about the climate challenges we have also committed to achieve Net Zero Target by 2070. and I think another significance of holding this event in Syria is also that it's a strange blend of our traditional Heritage and the most modern infrastructural monuments with Cutting Edge technology Kashmir has been one of the earliest seats of learning both in person as well as in Sanskrit it has a wide range of craftsmanship artisanship ranging from garbage embroidery shawls recently we had masoli painting achieving the GI tag and on the other hand the most infrastructural upgraded monuments we have the highest Railway Bridge of the world over here which is 35 meter higher than the Eiffel Tower is located on river China which is one of the largest rivers of India incidentally happens to be a part of my the constituency which I represent in the house of in the lower house we have the Asia's longest bi-directional road tunnel but that is I think what Jammu Kashmir is all about and I'm sure all these perspectives would add value to our thought processes I was told in the earlier meetings the priorities have been green tourism digitization skill msme tourism destination management I'm sure from here we'll move on and uh India I will just conclude by saying this is is ready to share the global responsibility as far as our as Our obligation towards economy is concerned towards environment is concerning towards Society is concerned and also one more aspect which was not talked about over yesterday even this morning is that ishmir also has a significant amount of another aspect of Tourism and that is science tourism a very few kilometers away from where we are sitting now we have a place called gulmarg and another Township called bhadraway another District of Doda from where originated the aroma Mission which was initiated by the Modi government this is also popularly come to be known as Purple Revolution a huge amount of lavender cultivation happening at a very large scale and providing agree Tech startup livelihood opportunities to thousands and thousands of young men and women in the agriculture sector and therefore I think it's also some kind of a distinction of the place where we are sitting today to discuss tourism in various facets when we discuss it in various facets the Agri tourism combined with the Agri Tech is also one important Stadium feature of the place that we have gathered today I'm sure when we go back from here we shall go back wiser than before and also much much more resolved to work together cohesively for the common cause and the common challenge that we face thank you once again thank you honorable Minister for your insights and remarks May request The Honorable Minister for tourism culture and development of Northeastern region ready to welcome the delegates and deliver his address good morning one and all honorable Lieutenant government of Jammu Kashmir SRI Manoj synergy my elder brother minister in government of India SRI doctor jitendra Singh Ji my ministerial colleague in tourism G20 sherfa respected Amitabh kanji tourism secretary government of India SRI arvind Singh Ji G20 coordinator tourism Ministry of Tourism government of India Who is the srimati vidyavati respected ambassadors and delegates from G20 member countries invade countries distributed heads of the international organizations senior government officials of the government of India and government of Jammu Kashmir dictatories and friends from the media welcome to all the G20 members and inviting countries for third meeting of the tourism working group under the India's G20 presidency in historic City in Srinagar friends I would like to begin by highlighting the significance of progress made by the tourism working group in lost two meetings all five creatives of the tourism working group are green tourism digitalization skills tourism msmes and destination management things gives me confident in the positive and meaningful direction that the working group is taking the ideas will Aid in developing tourism in mission mode in the globe this Summit will witness the going through agent of the thought tourism working group meetings I am happy to see that a tourism working group is processing in the right direction I'm sure that the giant efforts of all the G20 members inviting countries International organizations will result in the achievement of inclusive and action oriented decisive guidelines for the tourism industry I wish you enjoy your stay and return to India over and over again with the family and friends and citizen of your respected countries I am confident that across the country in India wherever you go Indians are treating you greeting you like their own family friends we will for coming two days we will discuss with the positively and uh with the respectively and the contribution with the good ideas best ideas and uh for for upcoming tourism activities in Globe wishing you all the very best thank you
2023-05-30 17:33