ADTOI’s Lady Entrepreneurs Officers (LEOs) are working for women empowerment in tourism

Priyanka Saxena Ray

The Association of Domestic Tour Operators in India (ADTOI) in the last couple of years has been in news for all the right reasons. The association, on numerous occasions, has been seen voicing and fighting for the rights and survival of its members and has also nudged the MoT numerous times on critical issues pertaining to domestic travel. The association, in 2019, had set up a Women Empowerment and CSR Wing, which conducted some noteworthy activities driven towards upliftment and betterment of women entrepreneurs in India.

Ms. Ekta Watts, Director, Equator Tours and Chairperson of Women Empowerment and CSR activities, ADTOI, recently hosted a virtual press conference to acquaint the LEOs with the travel trade media. In her opening remarks, while welcoming the guests and introducing the LEOs to the media, she said, “This development of LEOs under ADTOI is not a new concept as these positions were conceived and created in the year 2019 with the support of the Governing Body Members of ADTOI. At that time we had conducted few events for women empowerment and benefit. These includes the breast cancer awareness camp held at Delhi for ADTOI ladies and also a full day excursion for the blind children under the CSR initiative. While we could not do much during the Covid times, the ADTOI is once again geared to make this wing stronger and this press conference is our one such step in this direction.”

Vision for ADTOI Lady Entrepreneur Officer: 

• The vision of ADTOI LEOs is to empower women and bring them forward in the field of tourism. Each LEO takes initiatives according to her vision, interest and expertise for women empowerment and CSR activities.
• The Lady Entrepreneur Officer is envisioned for each one of the 9 Chapters of the Association. Their profile is to work as a team on PAN India basis to meet the below objectives:
• Connect and provide a platform to the ladies entrepreneurs of ADTOI in promoting the tourism industry and empower the women leaders within.
• Further, assist in empowering lady professionals in tourism, who are non ADTOI members but engaged in tourism and allied activities.
• To reach out to female students in Colleges / Universities who are undergoing Tourism Courses and guide them, be a part of the tourism industry and grow their potential through entrepreneurial education and training.
• To reach out to women and work at the grass-root level to encourage more and more women to be a part of the tourism industry.
• Last but not least, welcome more and more lady entrepreneurs into the ADTOI family.

ADTOI Lady Entrepreneur Officers are –

1. Mrs. Ekta Watts, Chairperson Women Empowerment and CSR Activities
2. Mrs. Irshad Patel, Maharashtra Chapter
3. Mrs. Puja Karar, West Bengal Chapter
4. Mrs. Shilpa Patel, Gujarat Chapter
5. Dr. Shreya Barbara, North East Chapter
6. Ms. Unmani Rana, Rajasthan Chapter
7. Ms. Shweta Chopra, Madhya Pradesh Chapter
8. Ms. Shishta Sharma, Punjab and Haryana Chapter
9. Ms. Padmini Narayanan, Tamil Nadu Chapter

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