IATO’s 39th Convention scores unprecedented response from Govt, Industry

The 39th edition of IATO Annual Convention organised from August 30th to September 02nd has been remarkable and unprecedented, whether it is people’s participation or representation from the central government along with state tourism departments, the three day long meet witnessed an overwhelming response and mind boggling discussions around the revival of ‘Inbound Tourism’ which is still struggling to reach to the pre-covid mark.

There couldn’t be a better start of the ‘Inbound Season’ as the much awaited mega event of inbound tourism segment has attracted a record number of industry stakeholders and Govt officials, decision makers under one roof. It shows the readiness of the industry stakeholders to grab the opportunities that the upcoming inbound season has to offer.

Organised under the Chairmanship of IATO’s Vice President Ravi Gosain, the well curated business sessions studded with veteran speakers covered the wide range of topics, and elaborated on the opportunities and challenges need to be addressed to achieve the desired growth of this sector.

The three day event had a number of business sessions related to boost the arrival of foreign tourist in India. Ways and means for developing new tourist spots and improving facilities around the existing and popular tourist spots were discussed. Alongside challenges faced by the sector and possible solutions were discussed in the multiple sessions held during the convention.

Inaugurated by Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Dr. Mohan Yadav the mega inbound event witnessed a record participation of 1200 members from across the country and senior representatives of tourism ministries from thirteen different states of the country.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Union Tourism & Culture Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said: “Since time immemorial India has been an attraction for the world and the footsteps of foreign travellers and their travelogues about their visits is its proof. Multiple tourism opportunities abound in our country and combined with the present government’s impetus on improving rail, road and air connectivity, the inbound tourism should receive a big boost. Would urge all the tourism sector stakeholders to join hands and tap the opportunities.”

While addressing the delegates, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Dr. Mohan Yadav said, “The state is endowed with multiple UNESCO world heritage sites and some of the monuments are such that their design is a challenge for experts even today. About our fauna, what to say, you can find Tigers on the roads in Bhopal. The state is rich in wildlife, cultural and religious tourism and has huge potential to attract the foreign tourists.”

The concluding session was graced by the Deputy Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Rajendra Shukla who emphasized on the need for branding. The state tourism minister, Dharmendra Singh Lodhi used the occasion to inform the gathering about the initiatives taken, like developing the Kuno National Park as tourist destination, converting lakes into tourist destinations, development of 1000 home stays and various other measures.

Speaking at one of the sessions, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary and MD, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board said that the Government has initiated steps to create 50 new tourist destinations to control the footfall over the overcrowded destinations. He also emphasized on coordination between different stakeholders for the better outcome of policy initiatives.

During the convention leading lights of tourism and hospitality industry Puneet Chhatwal MD and CEO of Indian Hotel Company Limited and Late M.L Razdan of Razdan Holidays (posthumously) were honoured by the Hall of Fame award this year.

At the opening, IATO President Rajiv Mehra and Vice President Ravi Gosain, explained in detail the role of IATO in the tourism sector particularly related to the inbound sector. They promised that IATO will leave no stone unturned to increase the inbound tourism in Madhya Pradesh. Further to showcase the rich heritage and culture of the state, a presentation ‘Manmohak Madhya Pradesh Heartland of India’ directed by Maitrei Pahari was made.

The convention saw eight business sessions which included topics like ‘Resurgent India Inbound’ ‘Discovering the Undiscovered‘ ‘Lesser Known Destinations’ ‘Marketing and Promotion of Inbound Tourism’ ‘Future of AI in Inbound Tourism’ ‘Legal Challenges for Women Empowerment’ etc.

Senior representatives from twelve states made presentations and showcased their products and lesser known destinations. Besides the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, and the Host State, Madhya Pradesh, there were 12 other states participated in the convention i.e. Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

To mark the conclusion of the convention ‘Run for Responsible Tourism’ was held in which more than 500 members participated. Further post the convention special Fam tours were organised to showcase the known and new destinations.

While elaborating on the importance of the IATO Convention, Mehra said, “The convention which is held in different cities of the country every year, is organised with the objective of showcasing the specific city’s as well as that state’s tourism potential and draw in more foreign tourists with innovative strategies and help in boosting local economy.”

“The response we received this year was unprecedented and we look forward to replicating this success at our next convention in Puri, Odisha,” he added.