According to an official statement, Sahai expressed happiness over the progress made by ASEAN-India cooperation in Buddhist pilgrimage tourism including the production of material and documentary films. He said India was looking forward to more joint-tourism promotion activities.
Sahai said since the number of tourist arrivals between ASEAN and India had shown a steady growth, establishment of an ASEAN promotional chapter in Mumbai would act as a tourism marketing and promotion agency of the ASEAN National Tourism Organisation.
Sahai also welcomed the forthcoming ASEAN-India car rally to be held this year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced during the ASEAN Summit at Bali last year that an MoU on strengthening tourism cooperation between India and ASEAN would be signed preferably at the ASEAN-India tourism ministers' meet in early 2012.
Besides cooperation in facilitating travel and tourist visits, the MoU speaks of enhancing human resource development in the tourism sector and exploring new possibilities for development and promotion of tourism. (IANS)
