How About An Incredible India?

Indrani Rajkhowa - Colombo

Leela Nandan

Think regionally, act locally and plan globally. The message sent by speakers at the "Inter and Intra-regionally' on Day 11 of the 54th Annual TAAI convention was loud and clear. The session, which opened to a jam-packed auditorium, saw key note speakers Leela Nandan, secretary, Ministry of Tourism, George Michael, additional secretary, tourism ministry of Sri Lanka, Sim Mohamad, General Secretary, MATI (Maldives), Anil Bhandari, MD of ITH, along with session moderator Udaya Nanayakkara, chairman of Sri Lanka Touirst Board, took off on an interesting start with quotable quotes like, "If you want to launch big ships, go where the water is deep," (courtesy Mohamad) and many such salvos by Nanayakkara.

Advocating the need for increased co-operation, not only to promote tourism within Asia but also to project the region as an emerging and dynamic tourist destination, Nandan said, "The focus should be on integrating the Asia trade and economic development plans via regional and sub-regional co-operation blocks. This will give a major impetus to inter-regional travel as well as intra-regional tourism."

The possibility of travel, relaxation pf frontier formalities, easy foreign exchange, accessibility and a profound understanding of the requirements of the regional traveller, are some of the few things Nandan suggested was the need of the hour to fortify ties between the region.

Elaborating on the strengths of India, Nandan said, "By 2020, our working age population is expected to rise to 65 per cent. Urban population is expected to rise to 40 per cent and an increase in the number of qualified professionals is projected. These are the factors that surely make India a fore-runner for promoting the case."

She also brought to fore the good job done by the Incredible India campaigning in putting India in every traveller's mind. "The campaigning besides abetting the growth of arrival figures to 25 per cent this year, also set the tourism all rolling for us."

Michael, putting in a word of thanks to TAAI for bringing in their convention to the shores of Sri Lanka, highlighted how tourism has been one of the leading revenue grosser and employment creators in Sri Lanka. He also urged the SAARC countries to forge ahead with strategies for pro-active joint campaigns to prompt inter and intra regional tourism, which will reap mutual benefits for all the countries in the region, thus bringing in economic, social and cultural dividends to the people. Stressing on the significance of coordinated efforts to attract more tourists to the region, he also briefed on abundant tourist opportunities in these countries during the meeting.

Mohamed delved upon the prospects of tourism ties between India and the Maldives, especially in the medical tourism circuit. The session was rounded off by Bhandari's emotionally salvo, "The entire region is god gifted. The rest of the world has to generate ideas and create ways to sell themselves, but we have the best landscapes, culture and heritage. Why not come together and make this place the finest tourism destination in the world."