[ TOURISM ]
Roadshows Across America
PROMOTE INDIAN TOURISM
Presentation on India with the delegates of the Indian Travel Industry
was made possible to
every participant. Insert Kalyan Sengupta,
Acting Regional Director, India Tourism (Americas).
Tourism has emerged as a major economic driver around the globe. It has created more jobs than any other industry in India, especially in recent times. During the last few years growth in the tourism sector in India has been spectacular. While foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2004 were 3.46 million, in 2008 the number went up to 5.37 million, an increase of 57% over a period of 4 years. The foreign exchange earning was US$ 6.2 billion in 2004, while in 2008 it was $11.7 billion, an increase of about 90%. From the US, about 800,000 tourists go to India every year and the domestic tourist continues to be a major force in the growth of the economy.
With the increasing number of foreign tourists coming to India every year and domestic tourism gaining popularity, public and private sector bodies are actively involved in promoting tourism in the country. However, in recent months, with the economic growth slowing down, the number of tourists coming to India has declined.
"The Ministry of Tourism in India has taken several initiatives with a view to minimize the negative impact of the global economic slow down and Mumbai terrorist attack on the tourist traffic to India from various countries," said Kalyan Sengupta, Acting Regional Director, India Tourism (Americas).
With this objective, "Road Shows have been organized in important tourist generating markets overseas with participation of different segments of the travel industry," Sengupta, who has been working with the India Tourism Ministry for the last quarter century, said. "These road shows were organized in collaboration with the India tourism offices overseas and the members of Indian Association of Tour Operators, Hotels & Airlines."
The Road Shows in USA & Canada were held during May 2009. Sengupta, who joined as Information Officer in the Ministry of Tourism in 1984, and later on was promoted as the Assistant Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, said, "The other cities where the Roadshows were held included, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto. The Incredible India campaign by the Ministry of Tourism has given a different dimension to Indian Tourism. This campaign has made Indian Tourism immensely popular among the foreign tourists."
During the first such event held at the Park Hotel in New York on May 11, 2009, over 200 tourism-related business leaders from the New York region attended. Acolorful presentation on India was made and a one-on-one meeting with the delegates of the Indian Travel Industry was made possible to every participant.
During the inaugural address, India’s New York Consul General Prabhu Dayal spoke of India’s long history of welcoming tourists to India, and how India had always remained a top tourist destination in the world. Earlier, the event began with the lighting of the lamp by Prabhu Dayal, Chitra Sarkar, Air India’s Executive Director for the Americas, and senior delegates from India.
Addressing the audience, Vijay Thakur, President of the India Tourism Association in the US, said, "The very first question that comes into the mind of a foreign tourist is why should one go to India? The answer is very simple: ‘a visit to India is an extraordinary experience, a voyage that provokes the mind and enchants the senses. India offers an extraordinary experience, a holistic destination and an enlightened holiday that enables the tourist to come back as a better human being. India is a journey of mind and soul, a journey of the five senses, a journey of self discovery and self fulfillment.’"
Sengupta said health and medical tourism is perceived as one of the fastest growing segments in marketing ‘Destination India’ today. While this area has so far been relatively unexplored, we now find that not only the Ministry of Tourism, government of India, but also various state tourism boards and even the private sector consisting of travel agents, tour operators, hotel companies and other accommodation providers are all eying health and medical tourism as a segment with tremendous potential for future growth.
According to him, the Government of India, Ministry of Tourism has taken up several measures for the growth of tourism in India which includes the financial assistance to domestic tour operators for their promotional activities, partnership with state governments. Financial assistance is being given to local travel trade and hoteliers while they are visiting foreign countries in connection with their promotional activities. Assistance is also given if they organize promotional events in various states.
The Ministry of Tourism has helped to promote tourism in various ways for e.g. tax holiday for the hotel industry. The deduction of ATF (Air Traffic Fuel) has also resulted in the deduction of air ticket. "It has also developed certain rural sites to showcase rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations in villages and to benefit the local community economically and socially as well as to enable interaction between tourists and local population for a mutually enriching experience," Sengupta added.
The Tourism Ministry has partnered with the UNDP for indigenous tourism as pilot project for capacity building. This scheme has helped rural India to create more job opportunities for the local villages and helps tourists get an idea about the rural life of India.
[ AJAY GHOSH ]
