UNESCO has officially recognized Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh as India’s first Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve under its Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. The declaration celebrates Spiti’s fragile yet fascinating ecosystem, where glaciers, rare wildlife, and centuries-old Himalayan culture coexist.
Goa’s innovative Homestay and Bed & Breakfast Scheme by the Department of Tourism has emerged as a model for community-based tourism in India. With fiscal incentives, simplified registration, and focus on local empowerment, the scheme’s success has inspired Delhi to revive its own B&B initiative based on Goa’s framework.
St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa, celebrated World Tourism Day by hosting X’plorateur 2025, a national-level event focused on regenerative tourism. The two-day festival brought together innovative student minds from Goa and Karnataka to explore sustainable solutions that preserve and restore Goa’s unique cultural and environmental heritage.
In a key move to bring transparency and discipline to the water sports sector, Goa Tourism, under the leadership of Hon’ble Minister Shri Rohan Khaunte, has initiated steps towards uniform rate structures, kiosk branding, and stricter enforcement against unauthorized operations across the State's beaches.
In the presence of Hon’ble Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, Goa laid the foundation for four transformative tourism projects — Town Square (Porvorim), Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum (Farmagudi), PM Ekta Mall (Chimbel), and the Eco-Tourism Project (Harvalem). These initiatives signal a bold move toward sustainable, inclusive, and year-round tourism.
