The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in cooperation with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), has introduced the G20 Tourism and SDG Dashboard. The Minister of Tourism, Culture, and DONER, G. Kishan Reddy, unveiled this dashboard during a virtual ceremony.
The G20 Tourism and SDG Dashboard, developed during India's G20 Presidency with UNWTO's assistance, demonstrates India's dedication to sustainable tourism. It features best practices, case studies, and insights from G20 nations aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It symbolizes India's commitment to global cooperation and sustainable tourism growth. This comprehensive online platform consolidates knowledge from the G20 Tourism Working Group, offering the GOA Roadmap, survey results, case studies, and best practices. It serves as a hub for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and promoting industry growth in sustainable tourism.
The virtual launch event of the G20 Tourism and SDG Dashboard drew attendees from G20 Member countries, invited nations, international organizations, Indian States & Union Territories, and industry stakeholders. It was opened by the Additional Secretary (Tourism), the Government of India, who stressed the dashboard's importance in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for India's inclusive, ambitious, and action-oriented G20 Presidency. This initiative, created in partnership with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), aims to leave a lasting legacy from India's G20 Presidency.
UNWTO acknowledged the pivotal role of G20 nations, representing over 70% of global tourism, in transforming the industry and praised the dashboard as a valuable reference tool. UNWTO expressed satisfaction in collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism of India to make this initiative a reality.
The event's centrepiece was the introduction of the G20 Tourism and SDG Dashboard by Minister of Tourism, Culture, and DONER, G. Kishan Reddy, accompanied by a launch video. This video provided an overview of the G20 Tourism Working Group's endeavours, offering a glimpse of the dashboard's features. Minister G. Kishan Reddy underscored the initiative's importance, calling it a symbol of India's digital progress and a global knowledge resource. He highlighted the dashboard's wealth of information and best practices aimed at steering the tourism industry toward sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity. Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Pad Yesso Naik, stressed how the dashboard aligns with India's commitment to leveraging digitalization for tourism's benefit and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
The event also featured insights from Rohan Khaunte, Tourism Minister of Goa, Atul Bagai of the United Nations Environment Programme, Tourism Secretaries from the State Governments of Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir, and industry stakeholders, offering a global perspective on the initiative.
In today's dynamic tourism landscape, the G20 Tourism and SDG Dashboard serves as a collaborative knowledge-sharing platform, guiding the global community toward sustainable, resilient, and inclusive tourism practices. Its launch marks a significant milestone in the journey toward achieving the SDGs, showcasing the collective commitment of the global community during India's G20 Presidency.
