Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) will be hosting its eighth convention-cum-exhibition in Visakhapatnam with the support of Andhra Pradesh government. The convention themed ‘Explore India- One Nation, Many Worlds’ will be held from November 17 to 19, 2017 at Novotel Hotel, Varuna Beach. At a recent press meet held in New Delhi, P P Khanna, president, ADTOI, informed, “Visakhapatnam popularly known as Vizag is called the Goa of East India. It truly has some unique offerings for the domestic market with its well built infrastructure and third cleanest city of India tag. Domestic tourists are keen to explore more destinations and we as an association want to unravel new places. Through the convention, we will promote the state’s numerous offerings and bring them to India’s notice.”
Rama Rao, special officer on duty, Andhra Pradesh government, was also present during the press briefing. Extending his views on the tourism potential of the state, he said, “Andhra Pradesh government understands the tourism potential of the state and has associated with companies like Wizcraft to create tourism destinations. Through this convention we are hopeful that these regional agents will witness what the state has to offer and showcase it better.”
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Gujarat Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir have already extended their support with further associtions awaited from tourism boards like Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha Tourism, Telangana Tourism and other stakeholders in the industry.
Focusing on the convention, Rajat Sawhney, convention chairman and vice president, ADTOI, stated, “As a pan-India association, we now wish to penetrate the southern market and strengthen our presence. Vizag will be perfect opportunity for us to understand and explore the markets, unveiling some new products for our members as well. As for the two day sessions, some of the topics include new ideas and strategies for growth in domestic market, digital media, rural tourism, India’s potential in MICE and weddings, is infrastructure only solution for tourism growth in the industry among other relevant topics. We are already seeing queries from states like Siliguri, Kargil and Kerala which shows the penetration of domestic tourism.”
The convention is expected to be attended by over 300 delegates including government officials, hoteliers, airlines and other major stakeholders of the tourism industry. The association has already extended an invitation to K J Alphons, minister of state for tourism to attend the event. Pre and post FAM tours will be organised to see Sunray Resort in Vizag and explore Araku Valley which is a popular destination in the region.
Dalip Gupta, convention co-chairman, expressed, “We are all set to welcome delegates to the event and open a new doorway of opportunity for them. As the convention co-chairman, I look forward to see our members in full attendance and gain maximum through the sessions and exploration tours. I am sure Andhra Pradesh will unveil itself as a great opportunity for domestic travel movement through our convention.”
Addressing the gathering, Chetan Gupta, general secretary, stated, “A lot has alredy been said about the various opportunity of the state and it holds tremendous potetial. We hope the five days of convention and explorations can help our members understand how to best package the unique destinations in Andhra Pradesh.”
The convention is to be held at Novotel Hotel at Varun Beach. The five-star luxury property offers exeptional views of the Bay of Bengal. The hotel is know for hosting events of large scale seamlessly, located at the proximity of some pristine beaches and business centres. Apart from being an event destination it is also well known as a vacation hotel for leisure travellers. The delegates will be staying at the same hotel and experiencing its hospitality.
