Govt plans to position Delhi as global tourism, event destination, says minister

Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra on Tuesday said the Delhi Government plans to position the national capital as a major global tourism and events destination through large-scale festivals, industry partnerships and skill development initiatives, while distancing itself from what he described as the failed "Rs 80 crore shopping festival model" of the previous government.

Speaking at the CII Delhi State Council meeting at the Taj Mahal Hotel, Mishra said an RTI had revealed advertisements worth Rs 80 crore were issued for a shopping festival that "was not organised even for a single day".

"The Delhi Government will not work on that model. If the industry, malls and markets come together, the government will work with them to organise a strong and transparent shopping festival that becomes a permanent identity of Delhi," he said.

The minister said the government was planning a calendar of annual large-scale events, including literature and music festivals, particularly during months such as November, December and February, to attract tourists from across India and abroad.

In a major pitch to the events industry, Mishra said the government was also working on a "viability gap funding" policy under which organisers of large events in Delhi could receive financial support from the government.

He also highlighted concerns around unemployment and skill gaps, saying industries were struggling to find trained manpower despite a large educated workforce. Mishra offered government land support for skill development centres if industry bodies came forward to run them.

Appealing for greener mobility practices, the minister urged industries to promote carpooling, work-from-home arrangements and the use of public transport in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fuel conservation appeal.