New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meet held in Goa via video message today.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister invoked the spirit of Incredible India and said that the tourism ministers rarely get a chance to be tourists themselves even though they are handling a sector worth over two trillion dollars globally.

Noting that the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meet is taking place in Goa, one of the major tourist attractions in India, the Prime Minister urged the dignitaries to take out some time from their serious discussions and explore the natural beauty and the spiritual side of Goa.

The Prime Minister said that India’s approach to tourism is based on the ancient Sanskrit verse ‘Atithi Devo Bhavah’ which means ‘Guest is God’. PM Modi emphasized that tourism is not just about sightseeing but it is an immersive experience.

“Be it Music or Food, Arts or Culture, the diversity of India is truly majestic”, the Prime Minister continued, “From the high Himalayas to dense forests, dry deserts to beautiful beaches, adventure sports to meditation retreats, India has something for everyone.”

The Prime Minister underlined that India’s efforts in the tourism sector are centered on preserving its rich heritage while creating a world-class infrastructure for tourism. Noting that India attracts pilgrims of every major religion of the world, the Prime Minister emphasized the development of spiritual tourism as one of the focus areas.

He informed that the infrastructure upgrade in the eternal city of Varanasi, one of the major spiritual centers, led to a ten-fold increase in pilgrims taking the number to 70 million today. He also underlined that India is creating new tourist attractions and gave the example of the Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world, which attracted about 2.7 million tourists within a year of its inauguration.

In the last nine years, the Prime Minister said, we have placed special emphasis on developing the entire ecosystem of tourism in the country. “From transport infrastructure to the hospitality sector to skill development, and even in our visa systems, we have kept the tourism sector as a focal point of our reforms”, Modi said.