A "significant milestone" achieved during the G20 Leaders' Summit here was the "unanimous endorsement" of the pivotal role of tourism and culture in sustainable socio-economic development and prosperity, the Ministry of Tourism said on Sunday.

The declaration was announced and adopted by the summit on Saturday.

The G20 New Delhi Leaders' Declaration adopted during the summit underlined the significance of the "Goa Roadmap for Tourism as a vehicle for achieving SDGs", the ministry said in a statement.

The summit stands as a testament to India's leadership in fostering global unity and collaboration. It witnessed the convergence of the world's most influential leaders, united by a shared vision for the future, it said.

Their collective commitment to addressing global challenges reaffirms the spirit of global cooperation, the statement said.

The declaration "provides a new direction for tourism sector with G20 Goa Roadmap outlining the challenges, objectives, opportunities and recommendations for tourism sector to achieve sustainable development goals", it said.

The 'Goa Roadmap', the key deliverable of India's G20 tourism track, is a pioneering initiative that provides a blueprint for sustainable global tourism, the ministry said.

It added that the Goa roadmap, aligned with the theme of India's G20 Presidency, underscores the role of tourism in society, the economy, and environmental stewardship.

By focusing on the five interconnected priorities identified and endorsed by the G20 Tourism Working Group -- Green Tourism, Digitalisation, Skills, Tourism MSMEs, and Destination Management -- the roadmap offers a comprehensive strategy for nations to align their tourism policies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, it said.

The Ministry of Tourism is also launching a national competition on 'Tourism for Tomorrow' to identify best practices and case studies aligned with the five priorities of the G20 Goa roadmap, which have successfully been implemented by states, destinations and industry stakeholders, and can be replicated and scaled up across the country, the statement said.

The competition will be launched on World Tourism Day on September 27.

The Ministry of Tourism also envisions transforming and promoting the host cities of the G20 Meetings in India into "global MICE destinations" for national and international meetings, the statement said.

"Our commitment is unwavering, and our resolve is strong. We are poised to lead the way in fostering sustainable tourism practices that will echo across the world for years to come," it said.

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