Gujarat's Rann of Kutch to host first Tourism Working Group meet

AHMEDABAD: As part of India's G20 presidency, Gujarat will host the first Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting in the state's Rann of Kutch from February 7 to 9, an official said on Friday.

The TWG meeting, which will be attended by Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, will be the second G20 event in the state after the 'Business 20 Inception' programme held in Gandhinagar last month, he said.

As per a state government release, on the first day, delegates will get a chance to visit the White Rann of Kutch, followed by a cultural program showcasing the rich heritage of the region, while an event focusing on 'Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation' will also be held.

Union Minister Reddy as well as Sandra Carvao, chief of the Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), among others, will share insights at this event.

The release said a panel discussion on 'How can tourism policy support tourism's contribution to rural development' will be held on the same day, with speakers including experts from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Labour Organisation (ILO) and representatives from Indonesia, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Argentina.

"On February 8, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala will inaugurate the TWG. It will be followed by working sessions on five priority issues, namely Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, Tourism MSMEs and Destination Management," said the release.

On February 9, international delegates and participants will have a Yoga session at the White Rann of Kutch followed by a visit to Dholavira, the UNESCO world heritage site from the Harappan civilization.

Later, they will take part in an event 'Promotion of Archaeological Tourism: Discovering Shared Cultural Heritage' where Union Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh will deliver the opening remarks and a UNESCO representative will deliver the keynote address, the state government release further informed.

The TWG participants will visit the Smriti Van Memorial, inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August last year in the memory of earthquake victims, on February 10, it added.