Tourists are brand ambassadors: Sumitra Mahajan

New Delhi, Jul 31 Terming tourists as "Brand Ambassador" Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has said that there is a need to look at tourism as a way of transforming not just the economy, but the lives of its people, within and outside the sector.

"Tourists are the brand ambassadors of their respective countries and tourism is a mode of improving the image of their countries abroad. All the persons involved in Tourism industry are the Flag Bearers of our country," Mahajan said in her address at the "National Tourism Awards" function held here yesterday.

The continuous strive for service excellence is all the more important as India's tourism sector is on an upward growth track, an official release today quoted her as saying.

"The idea of transformation goes so much wider. It is about creating opportunities, through tourism, for each and every individual of the destination to play a direct role," she said.

She called for positive news reporting about our country so that good image of our country can be portrayed abroad, the release said.

Tourism and Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said that his Ministry is in consultation with Railway Ministry for exclusive tourist coaches on select routes as well as for the development of 50 Railway stations as "adarsh (model) railway stations".

Simultaneously, talks are going on with Civil Aviation Ministry to develop 65 airports as 'adarsh airports' and the proposed Rs 2,500 airfare scheme will boost tourism industry.

PTI