National Tourism Day
What is National Tourism Day?
National Tourism Day is celebrated on 25 January in India. It is an initiative taken by the government of India to encourage the tourism business and raise awareness about the importance of tourism to the country’s economy. Moreover, the day is also celebrated as an invitation to people all across the globe
and from within the country to visit the incredible, scenic and historic places India has to offer.
India, as we know is one of the oldest, and still thriving, civilizations in the world. The cultural roots here go deep. India is not just diverse in terms of its history and population, but also of terrestrial attractions.
India is a treasure trove of exquisite mountains, forests, and sea beaches. The Indian subcontinent proudly boasts of vast glistening sand beaches, mighty and magnificent mountains covered in snow and dense forests housing exotic and rare wildlife. Every waterfall, mountain peak, estuary, desert, or forest is unique and no one can fathom how beautiful India is. Some might even say that it takes more than one lifetime to see all this country has to offer.
Naturally, India is the ultimate tourist destination. Across the globe, India holds a significant reputation because of all the magnificent places that are famous as tourist destinations. India’s culturally rich heritage attracts a lot of foreign tourists. However, as the pandemic struck, the tourism business in India suffered great losses because of repeated lockdowns induced by the rising cases. Therefore, National Tourism Day is celebrated to spread awareness among the global community about the importance of tourism and to highlight its impact on the economy.
The history behind the National Tourism Day celebration
Tourism refers to a person or a group travelling for recreational purposes. In 1958, a separate tourism department, known as the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), was established by the government of India after the importance of tourism to India was recognized by the union government. The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the formulation of national policies and programs and the coordination of activities of various Central Government Agencies, State Governments/Union Territories, and the Private Sector for the development and promotion of tourism in the country. This Ministry is headed by the Union Minister of State for Tourism and its goal is safeguarding India’s historic monuments and caring for tourist places to preserve their beauty while making them more tourists friendly.
National Tourism Day is celebrated throughout the country to raise awareness about the tourist industry’s growth possibilities and how they affect India’s economic development.
How is National Tourism Day Celebrated?
In 2022, National Tourism Day will be celebrated under the aegis of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav ‘, which is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. This year’s theme for National Tourism Day is ‘Rural and Community Centric Tourism’. Programmes like cultural events and light and sound shows will also be organized at 75 major tourism centres and all tourist destinations across the country.
As part of the celebration of National Tourism Day, seminars, cultural events and other programmes are organized by the government of India and its concerned department. State legislative bodies take part in these events enthusiastically as well.
In which countries is National Tourism Day celebrated?
National Tourism Day is celebrated in India mainly.
