The Union Cabinet chaired by the PM Narendra Modi has given its approval to an MoU between India and Qatar for strengthening co-operation in the field of tourism.
The main objectives of the MoU, cited in a PIB release are: to create favourable conditions for long-term co-operation in the field of tourism for the mutual benefits; to exchange expertise, publications, information and statistics related to tourism; to encourage co-operation through exchange programmes, propaganda and advertising materials, publications, films, promotion and marketing of their tourism products via media etc; to exchange visits of tour operators/media/opinion makers for promotion of two way tourism; to encourage co-operation between tourism sectors, tour operators, travel agents and other tourism private sector’s firms and bureaus in the two countries; and to encourage public and private sectors to invest in tourism.
Qatar is considered an emerging tourism source market for India. India received approximately 6,313 tourists from Qatar in 2015. Qatar is a potential market for India in terms of medical tourism and provides significant opportunity for India in this field. The signing of MoU with Qatar is expected to be instrumental in increasing arrival from this emerging source market.
The Cabinet recently also approved the signing of MoU between India and Maldives in the field of tourism.
