Sustainable Tourism
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
The Ministry of Tourism, is the nodal agency for the formulation of national policies and programs and for the co-ordination of activities of various Central Government Agencies, State Governments/UTs and the Private Sector for the development and promotion of tourism in the country.
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India established the Niche Tourism Division as there was a need to focus on multiple attractions available in the country in order to offer a diverse range of tourism products instead of focusing on a single product. This necessitated a clear vision, stated objectives and a collaborative approach.
The Ministry's initiative involves the identification, diversification, development and promotion of niche tourism products within the country. This strategic approach aims to address the challenge of 'seasonality' and position India as a year-round destination, appealing to tourists with distinct interests. The goal is to entice visitors to make repeat trips to experience the exceptional offerings in which India holds a comparative advantage.
In order to mainstream sustainability in the Indian tourism sector, safeguard the country’s natural and cultural resources and build a more resilient, resource-efficient, inclusive and carbon-neutral tourism industry, the Ministry of Tourism launched the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism on 29th April 2022. The vision behind this strategy was to position India as a preferred global destination for sustainable and responsible tourism. Following strategic pillars have been identified for development of sustainable tourism:
The Strategy under Governance puts forth the establishment of a National Level Nodal Agency for the purpose of facilitating the implementation of initiatives and for mainstreaming sustainable tourism in the Indian tourism sector. This led to the formation of the Central Nodal Agency for Sustainable Tourism (CNA-ST), as a technical support to the Ministry.