ADTOI CONVENTION: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN

The fifth annual convention-cum-exhibition of the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) gave a much needed impetus to domestic tourism with its theme of ‘Domestic Tourism: Unifying Incredible India’. Held at Hotel Ashok New Delhi on November 25 and 26, the two-day convention saw industry stakeholders from different segments discussing pertinent issues related to domestic tourism and plans to formulate a roadmap to take it to new heights. Present on occasion were Subodh Kant Sahai, Union Tourism Minister who inaugurated the convention. It witnessed the presence of Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister of State for Tourism & Culture, Jammu & Kashmir; R H Khwaja, Union Tourism Secretary and Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson, Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, apart from senior executives from states like Kerala, Punjab, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, among others. The convention delved deep into the issues of domestic tourism in the four business sessions. Inaugurating the convention, Sahai said, “Domestic tourism is the backbone of our economy and will help India become self-sufficient. We have more than 10,000 tourism products, however, we are lacking in maintenance of these products. There is a need for the private sector to come forward and realize the potential of domestic tourism. State governments and private stakeholders should join hands to develop infrastructure for Wellness Tourism around religious destinations as Wellness Tourism is not seen as a luxury product, but as a health and medical product.” He urged the states to draw out policies and plans to boost domestic tourism. According to him, wherever the government delves into the service sector, it does not bring the desired result. L Jora talked about the performance of Jammu and Kashmir on the tourism front, “The year 2011 is a good year for J&K as we crossed one million visitors. In Jammu, we touched the one crore figure and tourist arrivals to Ladakh tripled.” Suri highlighted the potential of domestic tourism and the need for rationalization of tax, good air connectivity and affordable accommodation to promote domestic tourism.