Tourism can help in economic transformation, rural development: Minister

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said tourism can be a positive force for economic transformation, rural development and community wellbeing, and India plans to use the key segment to achieve sustainable development goals during its G20 Presidency.

The minister was addressing a side event at the start of a three-day Tourism Working Group (TWG) meeting of G20 at the tent city of Dhordo in Gujarat's Kutch district. This is the first meeting of the working group.

Speaking at a panel discussion on 'Rural Tourism for Community Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation', Reddy said, India is focused on using tourism as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) during its G20 Presidency."

SDGs are a call for action by all countries to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

"The soul of India lives in its villages," the minister said quoting Mahatma Gandhi.

The focus of rural tourism should be to showcase villages, the country's way o