NEW DELHI: Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday said a comprehensive master list of tourism destinations will be compiled in a move to boost infrastructure and promote regional attractions.Addressing an event held to mark the World Tourism Day, Shekhawat said under the “Chalo India” campaign, one lakh foreign tourists will be exempted from paying visa fee. “This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to promoting India’s rich cultural and natural heritage,” he said.He said ministries of tourism and culture, civil aviation, railways, road transport and highways, and ports, shipping and waterways will join states and Union Territories will compile the master list of tourism destinations to bring the unbelievable sites of “Incredible India” on a global platform.“This list, in the coming times, will prove to be a milestone in the development of the tourism sector and new destinations,” Shekhawat said. “In the next three years, all-round development of these tourist sites, which will be included in the master list as new tourist sites will be taken up on priority. This will be a new effort to bring the unbelievable sites of Incredible India on a global platform,” he said. “We will make this list public so that private investment and industry stakeholders can also contribute to it…. And the Dekho Apna Desh sites will also be included in it,” the minister said.Shekhawat also announced the launch of initiatives by his ministry — “Paryatan Mitra and Paryatan Didi” — spanning 50 tourism destinations across the country. These destinations include Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Aizawl in Mizoram, Sri Vijaya Puram (earlier Port Blair) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kevadia in Gujarat, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and Ranchi in Jharkhand.
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