Scan & Stronger M!CEbetterfortourism P explore such opportunities. explore suchopportunities. to can provideaplatform for lawyersanddoctors.We only for corporates, but also conferences and events not shouldlookat “The industry can be availed byguests. been made-abenefitthat allowance oftwonightshas allowance foronenight,an 500 to250andinsteadof duced delegate limit from SOPs, which include a re- ences owingtothenew some changestoconfer hasmade The government ployment atvariouslevels. holders whileprovidingem- and also benefitsallstake- ideal imageofthecountry that M!CEhelpscreatean ism andCulture,hassaid where the former provides support throughencouraging policiesandthelattercatchespulseofclient. where theformer provides support industry,tourism agoalthatwould onlybeachieved ifbothgovernment andstakeholders hand-in-hand, work of Ministry Tourism advocates meanamorecompetent thatastrongerM!CEsectorwould inadvertently Vol. XXXIIIssue21; November 1 Nisha Verma ddppl.com State (I/C),Tour tel, rahlad SinghPa-

Share Minister of Minister of

- - Curbs keepAndamanfrom revival Will welearnfrom thiscrisis?......

st fortnight i­­ fortnight segments oftheeconomy. for thegrowthofmanyother iscrucial the M!CEindustry ICPB, claimedthatgrowthof retary, MOTandChairman, VermaRakesh , JointSec- Sharing asimilarview, Promotion Bureau(ICPB). (CIC) byIndiaConvention Conventions IndiaConclave said inhisaddressatthe13 popularise ,”theminister tourists and international toattract biggest platform I believethatM!CEcanbethe Minister ofState(I/C),Tourism andCulture Prahlad SinghPatel ssue 2020 th

events and conventions. The events andconventions.The inbringingmore the industry hastoback The government India asaM!CEdestination. have toaggressivelymarket delivering onpromises.We and events, backing it up with ‘Brand India’forconventions lenge lies in building a strong potential for M!CE, the chal- supply chain.Indiahasgreat a hostofotherpeopleinthe ity, eventmanagementand “It impactstourism,hospital- be the biggest be thebiggest ...... international international M!CE can M!CE can – PrahladSinghPatel platform to platform to A DDPPUBLICATION tourists tourists 10 attract attract 05 05

SpiceJet offers seaplanetravel.... Are weready togorural?...... meet theneedsofvisitors. conventions andevents, pare destinationsforholding needstopre- the country added thatsimultaneously, for meetingsuchneeds.”He veloped asasinglewindow events. ICPBneedstobede- successful organisation of ning bidsandforsubsequent organisations, bothforwin- various ministriesandother from in securingsupport body, canplayakeyrole great help.ICPB,asanodal missions abroad canbe of as aM!CEdestination;our aggressively marketIndia Verma said,“We haveto events andconventions. ready towelcomemore world thatIndiais step would be to tell the He addedthatthefirst a M!CEdestination,”hesaid. must togetherbuildIndiaas andindustry government

Joint Secretary, MOT&Chairman,ICPB VermaRakesh industry andtherefore,inor industry dynamic “M!CE isa very important. skills isalsovery Developing professional tinations,” Verma said. for promotionasM!CEdes- they canallbeconsidered and manyotherplaces, Khajuraho, Bodhgaya,Ajanta built conventioncentresat tions succeed. We have tomakeourdestina- effort “We mustmakeconscious must constantly evolve and must constantlyevolveand der tostayincompetition,it Pages : 28

18 16 TravTalkIndia.com - gestions that have found gestions thathavefound destinations areafewsug- stronger ICPBandgoodM!CE adding,“Havinga serted, must stayahead,”heas- major challenge,andwe innovate. Digitalisationisa and industry.” enabling the synergy of MOT tostrengthenthesector,forts which willgivefilliptoouref malise thesepolicyinitiatives policy. Soon,wewillfor place inournewtourism be considered be considered at Khajuraho, Khajuraho, at Ajanta can Ajanta can Centres Centres for M!CE – RakeshVerma

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BULLETIN Two nights for Statue of Unity With multiple tourism projects coming up in and around 's Statue of Unity, the latest being the seaplane service starting from October 31, it may well become a two-or-more-night destination for tourists.

Hazel Jain destination for tourism, and Switch to domestic the latest development of Many tour operators, includ- he Statue of Unity seaplanes being launched ing Vaghela, are looking at may soon become on October 31 has added switching to domestic tour- Ta symbol of tour- another feather to its cap. ists for the time being. “It has ism revival for travel agents in The monument is the been announced that interna- Gujarat. With so many devel- world’s tallest statue and tional commercial flights will opments taking place in and to visit it by a seaplane will not operate until November

be an experience for tour- Randhir Singh Vaghela 30, 2020. So we will look at ists. Currently, they can Chairman - Gujarat Chapter, IATO creating packages for the do- only enjoy seaplanes when mestic market. We shall also We will look they go abroad to countries try to reach foreign expats like the Maldives. Agents tions such as the Children who are working in India. We at creating will start selling seats on Nutrition Park, Vishwa Van, currently have foreign clients packages for the seaplane once they River Rafting, Ekta Nursery, doing a Gujarat tour with us,” announce the opening Cactus and Butterfly Gar- Vaghela adds. the domestic of bookings.” den, etc., have reopened market for visitors with slot tim- The first trial run of the open- ings. Tickets can be booked deck ferry at the Statue of online only. around the spot, the travel trade Unity in Kevadia has already is hopeful that it will become a been conducted and the ser- Vaghela adds, “Believe me, Kevadia is a town in Nar- two (or more) night destination vice is about to start soon. there are so many activities mada district in Gujarat. It for domestic tourists. added at the Statue of Unity is in the vicinity of Statue of There is also a jungle safari that it is now a minimum Unity and ‘Valley of Flow- Sharing his view is Randhir available in Kevadia, which two-night destination and we ers’, and two Tent City Singh Vaghela, Chairman is spread over 375 acres in are hoping that it will soon set-ups available for ac- - Gujarat Chapter, IATO, seven levels and has 1,500 become one of the global commodation have been who says, “The Statue of animals and birds. This, destinations that every tourist developed in Kevadia. Unity is becoming a great along with other attrac- would like to visit.” sharedcorner From the philatelic archives! Gajesh Girdhar, Owner, Paryatan Holi- days and Chairman - Governing Body, VIEWPOINT NIMA, shares this First Day Cover with a stamp dating back to 1982, released to commemorate the centenary of Darjeeling The second chance... Himalayan Railway (DHR). Few years later, on December 5, 1999, UNESCO World Gajesh Girdhar Heritage Committee inscribed DHR as a Owner, Paryatan Holidays; There has been much hue and cry in the travel Chairman - Governing Body World Heritage Site. NIMA and tourism industry about the lack of relief measures being provided to it by Government of India, even when it is amply clear that it’s one of the most adversely affected sectors by the coronavirus pandemic. But, recent reports have Slow recovery ahead for aviation indicated that as part of the next stimulus package, the finance minister will announce sector-spe- According to CAPA India’s ‘Executive Summary of Mid-Year Outlook for Indian Aviation in cific relief measures. Are we standing ready to FY2021’, domestic traffic is expected to be in the range of 30-40 million passengers persuade the 'powers that be' to include travel & in the second half of FY2021, approximately 50 per cent down year-on-year. tourism in the list of SOPs or share with them a list of countries that have offered suitable packages TT Bureau International Outbound Estimated Share of Estimated Traffic in Projected Yo