In a significant move within the Indian bureaucracy, senior IAS officer Suman Billa has been appointed as the new Director General of Tourism in the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. This decision is part of a broader administrative reshuffle by the central government.
Billa, who belongs to the 1996 batch of the Kerala cadre, was previously serving as the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism. His new appointment marks a step forward in his long career in the tourism sector.
Billa has extensive experience in the tourism industry. From 2014 to 2019, he served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, where he made significant contributions to shaping India’s tourism policies. He also worked internationally as the Director of Technical Cooperation and Silk Road Development at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Madrid. In this role, he helped drive global initiatives for sustainable tourism development.
After returning to India, Billa served as the Principal Secretary for Industries and NORKA in Kerala before rejoining the Ministry of Tourism in February 2024. He succeeded Rakesh Verma as Additional Secretary.
His appointment is part of a larger reshuffle, where 25 officers have been promoted to Additional Secretary positions across various ministries, and 15 officers have been promoted in their current roles.
Industry leaders have welcomed Billa’s appointment, expressing confidence in his ability to lead India’s tourism sector to new heights. KB Kachru, President of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) and Chairman of South Asia at Radisson Hotel Group, shared his optimism, stating:
“The industry, including the Hotel Association of India, looks forward to working with Billa to improve policy frameworks, simplify business processes, and enhance coordinated efforts to position India as a top destination for leisure, business, and MICE tourism.”
Given his extensive experience in both national tourism policy and international cooperation, Billa is expected to play a key role in supporting the government’s efforts to make tourism a major driver of economic growth and employment in India.
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