Key Highlight

• The IBSA Tourism Ministers Meeting recognized the importance of strengthening cooperation in tourism to overcome the impact of Covid 19 pandemic on the tourism sector
• The Ministers agreed to implement various tourism activities to be actioned by respective member countries.

India organized the IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa) Tourism Ministers’ virtual meeting yesterday. The Minister of Tourism of India, Shri G. Kishan Reddy; the Minister of Tourism of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E. Mr. Gilson Machado Neto and the Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Fish Amos Mahlalela, met through videoconferencing under India’s IBSA Chairship on 12th August 2021.

India organized the IBSA Tourism Ministers’ Meeting to promote tourism cooperation among the member states and reviewed the intra IBSA Tourism cooperation.

During virtual meeting, the Minister for Tourism, Shri G Kishan Reddy highlighted the aggressive vaccination programme of the Government of India which has completed over 500 million doses of vaccine, making it the 2nd largest country in the world. The Ministers emphasised the importance of domestic tourism in reigniting the tourism economy as it can prepare the domestic tourism industry for the arrival of international visitors.

The IBSA Tourism Ministers’ Meeting recognized the importance of strengthening cooperation in tourism to overcome the impact of Covid 19 pandemic on the tourism sector. The Ministers resolved to work together to realise the full potential of IBSA countries through cooperation in the tourism sector.

The significant aspect of the meeting was the adoption of the IBSA Tourism Ministers Joint Statement, an outcome document on cooperation and promotion for speedy recovery of travel and tourism. The Ministers also agreed to implement various tourism activities to be actioned by respective member countries.

IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between the Government of India, The Government of Federative Republic of Brazil and The Government of the Republic of South Africa to promote South-South cooperation and exchange.

The aim of the IBSA Tripartite Agreement is for strengthening relations between the member countries for economic development and for promoting cooperation in the field of tourism and expansion of tourism relations with a view to understand and appreciate each other's history, culture and way of life.

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NB/OA