Ministry of Tourism and Yatra.com sign pact to increase visibility of select accommodations

As a second wave of Covid-19 ripples through the country, lockdowns in neighbouring states, dwindling tourist arrivals and Covid-induced restrictions are affecting tourism in Goa for the second year in a row.

The Ministry of Tourism and Yatra.com on July 2 signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide extensive visibility to accommodation units, which have self-certified themselves on SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for the Hospitality Industry) on the OTA platform, the government said in a press release today.

The MoU also outlines both parties to encourage units to register on NIDHI and thereby on SAATHI and encourage local tourism with appropriate safeguards for curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Through the agreement, the government aims to gather more information on accommodation units in order to gain actionable insights & designing evidence-based & targeted policy measures and to promote safe and sustainable tourism.

The government expects more online travel agencies to come forward and sign such agreements in order to strengthen the tourism industry of India.

The Ministry of Tourism & Yatra will endeavor to take necessary steps to promote strategic and technical cooperation in the Indian hospitality & tourism sector.