"Both the countries may like to explore the possibilities of promoting investment in the field of hotel industry tourism and infrastructure development as India allows 100 per cent FDI in hotel sector on automated basis," Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said.
Sahai said this when his Mauritian counterpart Yeung Sik Yuen called on him here.
"Both the countries have tremendous scope to develop tourism infrastructure with mutual help," he said.
Recalling the historic and cultural ties which the two countries share, Sahai said, "it would be appropriate if we strengthen our ties by promoting bilateral tourism."
He suggested that India and Mauritius could consider exchanging their experience in destination management and may consider participation in their individual tourism events.
Yuen expressed the hope that more and more tourists from both the sides will visit each other's country.
Yuen said both the countries have enormous potential to strengthen their ties by promoting tourism. Tourism can be linked with overall cooperation between the two countries, he said.
About 18,000 tourists from Mauritius visited India during 2009 which rose to more than 21,000 in 2010. The India Tourism Office located in Johannesburg is responsible for promoting the country as a tourist destination in Mauritius.
Sahai said faculty exchange programmes can be organised between the human resource development institutes in India and Mauritius. He said a special programme can be organised wherein the HRD experts from India and Mauritius can visit some of the institutes in both the countries and interact with the teaching faculty through conferences and seminars.
Suggesting package tours, he said tour operators and travel agents of both the countries should interact in order to promote tourism.
