Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 27:Along with the rest of the country and the world, World Tourism Day 2025 was celebrated in the A&N Islands in a befitting manner yesterday. To mark the occasion, the Department of Tourism, A&N Administration, organized a thematic seminar under the UNWTO’s global theme “Tourism & Sustainable Transformation” in the Conference Hall of Megapode Resort. The Chief Secretary, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, as the chief guest, inaugurated the seminar by lighting the traditional oil lamp. The Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Tourism), Ms. Chanchal Yadav, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, (SA), Shri Arjun Sharma, IAS, Secretary (Tourism), Ms. Jyoti Kumari, IAS, Secretary (SVPMC), Shri Azharuddin Zahiruddin Quazi, IAS, Director (IP&T), Shri Vinayak Chamadia, IAS and several tourism stakeholders were present on the occasion.
The Chief Secretary formally launched the Astro Tourism Policy, SOP for Fly-boards/Water Jet Packs, Calendar of Events, Fairs & Festivals, and the revamped Official Tourism Website. He also flagged off the Caravan Bus, marking the beginning of caravan tourism in the Islands, a globally recognized sustainable and experience-driven mode of travel.
In his address, the Chief Secretary congratulated the Tourism Department for conducting the thematic seminar to mark World Tourism Day. He highlighted that the newly revamped Tourism Website is highly dynamic, and he complimented the Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Tourism) and Secretary (Tourism) for their efforts in developing a standard and vibrant website for the benefit of users. He emphasized that the initiatives of the Tourism Department can bear fruit only when industry partners remain engaged with the Administration and expressed his gratitude to industry partners and stakeholders for their constant support in the development of tourism in the A&N Islands.
The Chief Secretary further informed that while some new tourism policies have already been launched, several others are in the pipeline and their draft publications will soon be released. He noted that many new tourism activities are lined up for the coming year to enhance visitor experience by offering greater variety and choices which he described as crucial for any tourist destination. “We are confident that we will create more diverse opportunities for everyone in the A&N Islands,” he remarked.
The Chief Secretary also spoke about upcoming infrastructure and connectivity initiatives that will expand options for tourists. These include five new resort projects, UDAAN scheme flights connecting Sri Vijaya Puram to Shibpur (Diglipur), Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay, seaplane operations linking Long Island, Shaheed and Swaraj Dweep, and augmented shipping services, including harbour ferry services in partnership with Cochin Metro. He said that in terms of infrastructure development, the Administration is committed to adding value, and in the coming years, tourism in the Islands will enjoy more reliable logistics and facilities for both tourists and residents.
Earlier, welcoming the chief guest and others, the Secretary (Tourism), Ms. Jyoti Kumari, IAS, highlighted that tourism in the A&N Islands has grown remarkably from its modest beginnings in the 1980s to welcoming 7.2 lakh visitors in 2024 despite global challenges. She added that in alignment with the vision of “high-value, low-volume, sustainable tourism,” transformative measures have been taken in the past year to strengthen the ecosystem.
Later, in the experts talk session, Shri Mohd. Jadwet, Chairman, IATO, Andaman Chapter spoke on the topic ‘tourism and sustainable transformation; Dr. Titus Emmanuel, Science Manager at ANET and Dakshin Foundation spoke on the role of marine protected areas in promoting sustainable tourism; Ms. Diksha Dikshit, Marine Biologist (Naturalist) spoke on sustainable water sports in Andaman; Shri Uday Bhaskar, Founder & Astro Communicator at Andaman Stargazing spoke on Astro tourism in Andaman; Shri M Vinod, President, AATO spoke on tourism for sustainable transformation: Islands leading the way and Shri Arun Singh, Professional Bird Watcher/Bird Tour Operator spoke on bird tourism in Andaman Islands: sustainable path to conservation and community development. During this session, expert speakers gave their valuable insights on eco-tourism and sustainable tourism which, according to them, is the lifeline of A&N Islands as it plays a vital role in generating employment opportunities. An interaction/question & answer was also held in which the Chief Secretary answered the queries raised by the participants of the seminar.
Proposing the vote of thanks, the Director (IP&T), Shri Vinayak Chamadia, IAS, expressed his gratitude to the Chief Secretary for gracing the seminar as chief guest and for his constant guidance in the Tourism Department’s efforts to further strengthen tourism in the A&N Islands.
