Delhi Declaration At G20 Summit Provides New Direction For Tourism

The recent G20 Leaders Summit in Delhi showcased India's leadership in encouraging global unity and collaboration. The summit brought together the world's most powerful leaders, united by a common vision for the future. Their joint determination to confront global concerns exemplified the spirit of international cooperation.

The unequivocal recognition of tourism and culture's critical role in long-term socioeconomic progress and prosperity was a significant achievement at the G20 Leaders' Summit.

The 'G20 Leaders Declaration' issued at the summit stressed the importance of the 'Goa Roadmap for Tourism' as a vehicle for attaining sustainable development goals or SDGs.

The Roadmap: A New Direction For Tourism

On Saturday, September 9, the summit announced and adopted the declaration. The "Goa Roadmap for Tourism as a Vehicle for Achieving SDGs" was highlighted in the G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, the ministry said in a statement. The conference demonstrates India's leadership in promoting global unity and collaboration. It saw the gathering of the world's most powerful leaders, united by a shared vision for the future, according to the statement.

The 'Goa Roadmap', the key deliverable of India's G20 tourism track, is a pioneering initiative that provides a blueprint for sustainable global tourism, the ministry said. 

It added that the Goa roadmap, aligned with the theme of India's G20 Presidency, underscores the role of tourism in society, the economy, and environmental stewardship.

The proclamation stated that it "provides a new direction for the tourism sector with the G20 Goa Roadmap outlining the challenges, objectives, opportunities, and recommendations for the tourism sector to achieve sustainable development goals."

The roadmap provides a comprehensive strategy for nations to align their tourism policies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 by focusing on the five interconnected priorities identified and endorsed by the G20 Tourism Working Group: Green Tourism, Digitalisation, Skills, Tourism MSMEs, and Destination Management.

According to the statement, the Ministry of Tourism is also launching a national competition on 'Tourism for Tomorrow' to identify best practices and case studies aligned with the five priorities of the G20 Goa roadmap that have been successfully implemented by states, destinations, and industry stakeholders and can be replicated and scaled up across the country.

The competition will be introduced on September 27, World Tourism Day.

According to the statement, the Ministry of Tourism intends to develop and promote the host cities of the G20 gatherings in India as "global MICE destinations" for national and international gatherings.

"Our commitment is unwavering, and our resolve is strong. We are poised to lead the way in fostering sustainable tourism practices that will echo across the world for years to come," it said.