Paryatan Mitra And Paryatan Didi Initiative

Sept. 29, 2024

Recently, the Union Ministry of Tourism has launched a national responsible tourism initiative titled Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi.

About Paryatan Mitra And Paryatan Didi Initiative:

  • The primary aim of this initiative is to elevate the overall experience for tourists in destinations, by having them meet ‘tourist-friendly’ people who are proud Ambassadors and Storytellers for their destination.
  • The vision of this initiative is to welcome one and all to experience Incredible India through Incredible Indians, thereby creating a more welcoming, hospitable, and memorable experience for tourists when in India.
  • Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi were piloted in six tourist destinations across India: Orchha (Madhya Pradesh), Gandikota (Andhra Pradesh), Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Aizawl (Mizoram), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), and Sri Vijaya Puram (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).
  • Features
    • Under this special emphasis is being placed on the training of women and youth to enable them to develop new tourism products & experiences like heritage walks, food tours, craft tours, nature treks, homestay experiences, and other innovative tourism products based on the potential of the destination.
    • This training is driven by the ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’ philosophye treating tourists as honored guests.
    • It is also envisioned that locals leverage these skills to obtain gainful employment going forward as homestay owners, food & cuisine experience providers, cultural guides, natural guides, adventure guides, and other roles in tourism.
    • Tourism-specific training is being followed by general training in digital literacy and digital tools to ensure that the experiences they create are discoverable and visible to tourists, nationally and globally.