2nd BRICS 2026 Tourism Working Group Meeting Held in Jaipur

Why in News?

India hosted the 2nd BRICS 2026 Tourism Working Group (TWG) Meeting in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on 19 August 2026 under its BRICS Chairship. The meeting was chaired by Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, and brought together representatives of BRICS member countries to strengthen cooperation in tourism. The meeting will contribute to preparations for the BRICS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for 21 August 2026.

Theme

The meeting was held under the theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

Key Highlights

The discussions focused on four thematic priorities identified by India during its BRICS Chairship:

Artificial Intelligence and Tourism
Sustainability and Responsible Tourism
Tourism Skilling and Capacity Building
Tourism Exchanges and Seamless Travel Facilitation

The Working Group discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in these areas and adapt tourism policies to changing technology, traveller expectations and sustainability requirements.

Major Areas of Cooperation

Artificial Intelligence and Smart Tourism: BRICS countries discussed the responsible use of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to improve tourism services and create smarter travel experiences.
Sustainable and Responsible Tourism: The members emphasised sustainable and community-centred tourism, with greater attention to environmental protection and the participation of local communities.
Tourism Skilling: The Working Group highlighted the need for human capital development, tourism skills and capacity building to create employment and improve the quality of tourism services.
Seamless Travel: The meeting also discussed improving connectivity, tourism exchanges and travel facilitation among BRICS countries.