G20: Shekhawat holds bilateral meets with tourism ministers of Brazil, Spain and Saudi Arabia

New Delhi: Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday said he held bilateral talks with his Brazilian, Spanish and Saudi Arabian counterparts in Brazil to discuss on enhancing cooperation in the sector and people-to-people ties.

The meetings took place on the sidelines of the G20 Tourism Ministerial Conference in Brazil, the current chair of the influential grouping.

"Glad to have concluded a productive bilateral meeting with Brazil. Discussion was held about prospects to boost tourism between our nations, including a joint cooperation agreement, visa on arrival, free visa facilities, and enhanced air connectivity with direct flights," Shekhawat posted on X.

He also shared photographs of his meeting with the Brazilian side.

"These initiatives will not only strengthen our economic ties but also foster cultural exchange and people-to-people connections. Looking forward to implementing these measures and welcoming more Brazilian visitors to India!," the minister added in his post on the social media platform.

The meeting with Brazilian Tourism Minister Celso Sabino took place on Friday, according to a senior official.

Later in a series of posts, he shared details about other bilateral meetings that he had and the programme he attended as part of the G20 meet.

"Participated in a very enlightening discussion between public and private sector stakeholders in the tourism sector organised by World Travel and Tourism Council at the G20 Tourism Ministerial Conference earlier today. Spoke of the need for collaboration between public & private sectors to drive sustainable tourism, promote cultural exchange & preserve heritage fostering growth & development," he said in another post.

In another post on X, Shekhawat shared photos of his meeting on Saturday with Spain's Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu i Boher for a bilateral discussion on the sidelines of the G20 Tourism Ministerial Conference.

"Had a fruitful discussion on enhancing tourism ties between our countries through direct connectivity, tourism trade fairs & people-to-people exchange. Looking forward to interesting opportunities ahead," he said.

In a separate post, Shekhawat shared details of his meeting with a Czech minister.

"Boosting tourism ties with Czech Republic! Pleasure meeting Czech Republic's Deputy Prime Minister for Digitisation and Minister of Regional Development Ivan Bartoš to discuss eco-friendly travel, cultural exchange & innovative infrastructure in our countries and cooperative mechanisms to facilitate greater tourist interactions between the two," he said.

Shekhawat also had a bilateral meeting with a Singaporean minister during his ongoing visit to Brazil.

"Tourism that helps the world grow, together & sustainably! Pleased to have had a meeting with Mr Alvin Tan Sheng Hui, Minister of State of Trade and Industry, Singapore. Our discussions explored bilateral tourism, cooperation, focusing on sustainability, cultural exchange & infrastructure development," he posted on X.

The minister had a separate bilateral meeting with his Saudi Arabian counterpart in Brazil.

"Pleased to have met Mr. Ahmed bin Aqeel al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism in the sidelines of the G20- Tourism Ministers' Conference. We discussed strengthening India-Saudi Arabia tourism ties through youth training & development initiatives." Shekhawat posted on X.

"Looking forward to explore collaborative opportunities for sustainable tourism growth, cultural exchange & people-to-people connect," he added.