Tourism Ministry goes guide hunting to top colleges

THE GUIDE: This 21-day course includes expert talks on various subjects on India.

ibnlive.com is on mobile now. Read news, watch videos
be a Citizen Journalist. Log on to m.ibnlive.com NOW!

Related Stories

• Incredible India in trouble, 26/11 hits tourism

• Govt gets ticket to Bollywood ready for tourists

• Tourist duped by Ministry-approved agency

Top Headlines

Top Videos

Most Popular

• Gujarat dry status an ideological hangover? 

• India dry, Pawar says well-stocked for 13 months | Drought diary 

• Manmohan, Gilani fix up meeting without a date 

• India puts it in writing: Pak planned 26/11 

• Burger King apologises to Hindus for offensive ad 

• SC takes up plea against gay sex, issues notice 

• Suspected Dawood aide acquitted in fake currency case 

• Another 'lover' arrested at Sania Mirza's house 

• Mumbai, Pune and Delhi face 30-40 pc water shortage 

• Politicos get into the ABC of Varun's Z-plus security 

• MP drought-hit 

• Sariska tigers siblings, incest dangerous: Experts 

• 2016 Games contenders go all out to woo voters 

• Watch: Zardari admits to nurturing terrorists 

• SC takes up plea against gay sex, issues notice 

• CJ: Delhi-based builders make off with money 

• Pune reels under 40 per cent water cuts 

• RTI against college lands DCE student in trouble 

• Sports officer attacked for fighting corruption 

• Watch: Ferreira talks about sports and Union Budget 

• Forbes India: 20 stocks you must own 

• Dry state Gujarat reels under hooch tragedy 

• Burger King apologises to Hindus for offensive ad 

• India puts it in writing: Pak planned 26/11 

• Army honours Mohanlal with Lieutenant Colonel post 

• Another 'lover' arrested at Sania Mirza's house 

• MP drought-hit 

• Sariska tigers siblings, incest dangerous: Experts 

• Mamata dismisses corporate structure for railways 

• Mysore: PFI activists clash with police, lathicharged 

Photogallery

Find us on Facebook | Join IBNLive community

Stay ahead with G-Talk Buddy | Click now!

New Delhi: The Government’s Incredible India campaign has been a big success and now riding high on its good times the Tourism Ministry has decided to get fresh and more refined faces as tour guides. The Earn While You Learn scheme by the Ministry has students from Delhi’s St Stephen's College and Jawaharlal Lal Nehru University (JNU) under training.

“We thought we needed fresh energy into the tourism industry. And these young people who come with new ideas will bring in that,” ADG of Tourism Ministry, Sanjay Kothari said.

Investing in upmarket colleges for its pilot project is clearly to better the image of the Indian tourism sector. So the Ministry's first batch of 63 trainees includes students from the Capital’s top colleges and even foreign language students from JNU.

And the scheme is working well with the students also. Navnit Kumar, a foreign language student, said, “There are so many foreigners coming to India who speak different languages, so it’s a great career opportunity for foreign language students.”

While another student Divya Jon, who is from St. Stephens College, said, “This program is very good because in a short course I can get to know a lot about the tourism industry. Also, we get to know the opportunities available in this sector.”

The free of cost 21-day course includes expert talks on subjects like Indian society and culture, history, architecture, archaeology, managerial and behavioural skills, etiquettes, overview of tourism scenario, public speaking and presentation.

Besides Rs 1,000 stipend, the students will also be provided in-house placement with the Ministry's accredited tour operators who have been asked to pay them at least 800 to 1,000 rupees a day.

Over five million foreign tourists and still counting. It’s the best tourist year in the last one decade that Incredible India has seen. And the Ministry knows that if it wants the magic numbers to keep adding then the induction of new faces is what will give it a real facelift.