Yuva Tourism Club in CBSE schools soon? The board gives directions for setting them up

Endorsing the idea of forming societies for tourism promotion in educational institutions initiated by the Tourism Ministry, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), has issued the necessary instructions to all its affiliated schools to set up a Yuva Tourism Club.

As a part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, the ministry proposed establishing the clubs in order to nurture and develop young ambassadors of Indian tourism. These young ambassadors will be catalysts for promoting tourism in India.

Apart from this, their participation in the tourism club is also expected to facilitate the development of soft skills like teamwork, management and leadership besides also encouraging the adoption of responsible tourism practices and concern for sustainable tourism.

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, while briefing about the initiative, said that youth are the best ambassadors of India and its rich cultural, spiritual and natural heritage. "Students will now be aware of domestic destinations and equipped with the tools to promote the tourism sector. The tourism clubs help children to be more aware of their states and neighbourhood along with the cultural aspects. This further builds on the clarion call of Dekho Apna Desh by the Prime Minister," said the minister.

The ministry has also prepared a handbook for schools regarding tourism clubs. The clubs will be tasked to organise several activities such as essay-writing, logo-designing, quiz, drawing and painting, poster-making, acting and debating which students will be encouraged to participate in.

Other than travelling as part of a school group and preparing interesting travel itineraries with lesser-known destinations, they will also be persuaded to initiate discussions with teachers and learners about the insertion of travel and tourism into their curricular activities.

Furthermore, the clubs are expected to plan lectures by esteemed scholars and experts and organise walks in local cities or towns exploring local crafts, cuisine and tourist places.