TBM Staff - Mumbai Entries for the best tourism village competition organised by the Tourism Ministry (MoT) can be sent till December 31, officials said. The National Best Tourism Village Competition 2024 and the National Best Rural Homestay Competition 2024 seek to strengthen the promotion and development of rural tourism in the country.
The two competitions were launched on ‘World Tourism Day’ on September 27. The applications are open from November 15 to December 31, officials said.
The National Best Tourism Village Competition 2023 recognised 35 villages all over India in gold, silver, and bronze categories.
The Union Ministry of Tourism has launched comprehensive national strategies and roadmaps for the development of rural tourism in India, along with the promotion of rural homestays, the ministry said in a statement.
TheMinistry has initiated the implementation of the national strategies in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management. One of the strategic initiatives for the promotion of rural tourism and rural homestays is conducting these competitions, it said.
To foster collaboration and create a conducive environment for the growth of rural tourism, the Ministry has actively engaged governments, industry stakeholders, NGOs and local communities through these competitions. This multi-stakeholder approach synergises the efforts to strengthen the rural economies, officials said.
The competitions aim to develop healthy competitiveness among the villages and the rural homestays to identify and reward outstanding contributions to rural tourism, thereby incentivising communities and individuals for active contributions to the sustainable development goals, they said.
The competitions will not only boost tourism in lesser-explored regions but also create a ripple effect to increase community involvement, preserve cultural authenticity, and promote sustainable and responsible practices in the tourism sector, the statement said.
The Ministry has established the Central Nodal Agency Rural Tourism and Rural Homestay (CNA RT & RH) for the effective implementation of the initiatives for rural tourism. CNA RT & RH is conducting capacity-building sessions for states to create master trainers for propagation of the competitions at the village level, it added. (Source: PTI)
