Varanasi: The Ministry of Tourism organised a workshop here on Saturday for homestay operators, bed-and-breakfast owners, hoteliers and other tourism stakeholders, focusing on improving service quality and professionalism in the city’s tourism sector.Participants received practical guidance on operations management, hospitality, customer service, cleanliness and safety standards, handling online reviews, social media promotion and digital marketing.Addressing the workshop, Tourism Ministry Secretary Bhuvnesh Kumar said Varanasi was among India’s most important tourism destinations and had the potential to become globally competitive. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasised developing at least one world-class tourism destination in every state.Kumar said Varanasi’s spiritual and cultural heritage, ghats, monuments, cuisine, traditions and experiential tourism offerings made it one of India’s most distinctive destinations. He said developing it into a world-class destination would require a comprehensive approach covering infrastructure, visitor facilities, hospitality, digital engagement, safety and the overall tourist experience.He also stressed the role of local communities in improving visitor experiences and ensuring that tourism benefits reached residents. Focused efforts were needed in tourism education, skill development, service quality, digital literacy and adoption of modern technology, he said.Kumar said capacity-building programmes would help tourism entrepreneurs and service providers adopt professional practices, improve service standards, use digital platforms effectively and respond to changing tourist expectations.Divisional Commissioner S Rajalingam, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar, Municipal Commissioner Himanshu Nagpal and representatives of Visa, IndusInd Bank, MakeMyTrip, Agoda, Ixigo, Coca-Cola and the Indian Tourism Association attended the programme.
