Commemorating World Tourism Day, IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IMC) has expressed that stakeholders of travel, tourism and hospitality industry must join forces to facilitate tourism promotion in the country. At an event in Mumbai, Farhat Jamal, chairman – travel, tourism and hospitality committee, IMC, said, “One of the important efforts is that we have to make end-to-end experience better for tourists visiting India. In the recent years, we have made significant progress in terms of tourism infrastructure and products. We have enormous potential and tourism can transform the global positioning of our country. When all the stakeholders in the industry come together, tourism can go to the next level.”
In line with United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) theme for 2017 – Sustainable Tourism for Development – Vijay Wagmare, managing director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), stressed on the need to encourage sustainable tourism across the country. He said, “I appeal to the industry and travellers to reduce carbon footprints during travel and tours. I would like to highlight the four ‘R’s of sustainable tourism – refuse, reduce, recycle and re-use.”
In his address, IMC president Lalit Kanodia highlighted the need to create more jobs in the country. He said, “Tourism and skill development in tourism and hospitality industry can help to bring a solution. We have immense potential to boost tourism in the country, thereby benefitting India’s economic growth.”
Speaking specifically about MTDC’s efforts and in a reply to Kanodia, Waghmare commented, “Maharashtra has a lot of potential in the tourism sector. The state tourism department has also initiated various skill development activities. The tourism department has planned to skill 5,000 people in this sector in the coming times. However, MTDC alone can’t make a difference. We have to promote tourism in the state in collaboration with all stakeholders of the industry.”
