Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism (FHT), Amity University Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with Indian Chamber of Commerce (AICC), organized an ‘Industry- Academia Conclave’ on Mission Viksit Bharat: “A Roadmap to Transform Indian Tourism, Aviation and Hospitality Industry”. The conclave was aimed to foster collaboration between industry stakeholders and academic institutions to address the challenges and identify the opportunities in the tourism, aviation and hospitality sectors, through exchange of knowledge, best practices and research.
Addressing the students of Tourism and Hospitality, Chief Guest Mr. C. Rajasekhar, Secretary States, Ministry of External Affairs, stated, “To achieve Viksit Bharat Mission launched by the Prime Minister is a big challenge which can only achieved through the joint efforts of all. After the pandemic, the government is making huge infrastructural development and remarkable progress has been made in the tourism industry. Many tourist destinations have been developed in the last two years and the pace of development is extremely fast. Tourism industry thrives on personal experience since people who visit a place, become its brand ambassadors and spread awareness about the place through word of mouth. Also, safety is the most important factor for the growth of tourism and hospitality sector and the travellers must feel safe and secure while travelling or visiting a new place.”
Sharing his words of wisdom, Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan, Founder President, Amity Education Group, stated, “We are very fortunate to witness India’s unprecedented development during the present times where there are unlimited opportunities. There is nothing more important than industry academia collaboration through which students get hands-on experience and practical knowledge about the industry. Students must align their professional aspirations with the goal of nation-building and must work towards their goal with complete dedication and sincerity.”
Speaking about the remarkable development in the Tourism industry, Guest of Honor, Mr. Arun Srivastava, Joint DG Ministry of Tourism, said, “Our country is witnessing unprecedented growth and development in all sectors including tourism and hospitality. Tourism industry has contributed to 16.5 lakh crore rupees to the country’s GDP in the last few years. In addition, 78 new airports have been opened in different parts of the country including 17 airports in Northeast region. Today, flights are very affordable, and anyone can fly to any part of the world easily. The G-20 Summit hosted by India set an example of a thriving tourism industry and Film Tourism, Homestays and Wedding Tourism have become very popular in the last decade.”
Highlighting the significance of the Conference, Prof. (Dr.) Balvinder Shukla, Vice Chancellor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, averred, “The Conference is a great learning platform for the students, and they must use this opportunity to learn from the guest speakers and add value to their research work in the area of hospitality and tourism. Our country will become a developed country by the year 2047 and tourism industry will contribute significantly to its development.”
Emphasizing upon the role of youth in the Viksit Bharat Mission, Mr. Subhash Goyal, Chairman, Tourism and Aviation Committee, Indian Chamber of Commerce & Chairman, STIC Group, said, “The youth of the country is going to play a crucial role in its development and contribute to Viksit Bhart Mission in a big way since they are the future of the country. Youth must lead the world through their efforts, thoughts, hard work and they must think for their nation, by aiming to make their country the best in the world.” He called upon the students to learn foreign languages and become global ambassadors of peace, knowledge and culture.
Highlighting the developments in the tourism industry, Mr. Sanat Kaul, Chairman, International Foundation for Aviation, Aerospace & Drones (IFFAAD), stated, “There is no reason that we cannot achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has opened many new airports, in small towns and tier-2 cities, which were not there earlier. Also, metros have been launched in many cities of India and people are able to commute very easily and hassle-free. This is a testimony to the revolutionary changes in the tourism, and hospitality sector which have taken place recently. People from various parts of the country can easily travel from one city to another by the newly launched, good quality Vande Bharat trains, which are affordable and provide a comfortable travel experience.”
Speaking about the transformation in Bus Transport, Mr. Bobby Sawhney, Managing Director, Bakshi Transport Service, asserted, “Buses are an important means of transport which are cheap and comfortable and also create less pollution. One bus has the capacity to carry the people of 25 cars, saving fuel consumption and curbing pollution levels. The high-quality Volvo buses are extremely comfortable and have all the modern features for the travellers, even foreign tourists are using these buses for travelling and visiting various destinations.” He called upon the students to be mindful and keep road safety measures in mind and also urged that school students should not be allowed to drive two- wheelers or four wheelers.
Speaking about international tourism, Mr. Ravi Gosain, Vice President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), opined, “The tourism industry has witnessed drastic changes in the last ten years. More people are travelling to different tourist destinations these days. The number of travellers had reduced during the two years of Covid, but the tourism industry bounced back again after covid. The visa procedures have also become easy and more accessible which is encouraging people to travel overseas. “
Welcoming the guest on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) M. Sajnani, Dean, Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, said, “Viksit Bharat Mission is a great initiative by the Hon’ble PM and it will serve as a roadmap to transform hospitality and tourism industry. This conference will encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the tourism sector by promoting research and development initiatives, technology adoption, and provide creative solutions to industry challenges. It will also provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss and formulate policy recommendations that support the growth and sustainability of the tourism, aviation, and hospitality industry in India.”
The conclave concluded with the felicitation of guests and it was attended by the students of tourism and hospitality in large numbers.