The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, hosted the 2nd BRICS 2026 Tourism Working Group Meeting in Jaipur, Rajasthan on August 19, 2026, under India's BRICS Chairship. The meeting was chaired by Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, and built upon the virtual 1st BRICS 2026 Tourism Working Group Meeting held on May 25, 2026.
Discussions focused on advancing cooperation across four thematic priorities identified under India's Chairship: Artificial Intelligence and Tourism, Sustainability and Responsible Tourism, Tourism Skilling and Capacity Building, and Tourism Exchanges and Seamless Travel Facilitation. The meeting operated under the overarching theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability" and recognized tourism as an important driver of economic growth, employment, sustainable development, and people-to-people exchanges.
Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar highlighted that the outcome of the Working Group's deliberations would provide an important basis for the BRICS Tourism Ministers' Meeting scheduled for August 21, 2026. As part of the program, BRICS delegates will undertake a technical visit on August 20, 2026, to key tourism and heritage sites in Jaipur including Hawa Mahal, City Palace, and Amer Palace to experience Rajasthan's rich cultural and architectural heritage.