Besides the Senior officials of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation and Office Bearers and Executive Committee members of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, about 125 tourism professionals of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh region were present. The main objective of organizing this workshop in Bhopal was as to gauge how we can increase the growth of foreign tourists in Madhya Pradesh, explore new destinations, and circuits, collaborate with airlines & hotels with support from IATO and its members and also to increase IATO membership base in the state.
Mr. Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary Tourism and Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board was the Chief Guest who inaugurated the workshop and spoke on forging new relationships and collaboration, investment opportunities in tourism infrastructure, Connectivity, Spoke and hub model
in tourism, the 3 world heritage sites of Sanchi, Bhimbetka and Khajuraho, Gwalior to be declared as the city of music, Partnerships to be worked out among hotels and airlines, Create the critical mass to catapult Madhya Pradesh to the next level, Madhya Pradesh as an emerging MICE and Wedding destination – both domestic and international, Create an ecosystem in our state for inbound, Need for 50 strong tour operators based out of Madhya Pradesh and Rural Tourism as a USP for Madhya Pradesh
Mr. Rajiv Mehra, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, in his speech, apprised the audience about Mr. Mahendra Pratap Singh being appointed as the Chairman IATO Madhya Pradesh Chapter and he also informed them about the 38th IATO Annual Convention going to take place in Aurangabad from 29th Sept to 2nd October and invited them to participate. He said that Madhya Pradesh to be promoted for Culture Tourism also besides other facets like Wild Life and as per feedback from Foreign Tour Operators, North East and Madhya Pradesh are in high demand. He mentioned that IATO has taken Connectivity as a thrust area. Indigo to operate in Khajuraho – Varanasi Sector. This will be a big boost to tourism in Madhya Pradesh. IATO is pursuing Indigo and Air India for last-mile connectivity for the tourist destinations of Madhya Pradesh
Mr. Sanjay Razdan mentioned the role of IATO and its activities which play a pivotal role in raising concern with the government departments and how efficiently IATO has raised the issues which are creating hurdles and the issues that have been resolved with IATO’s intervention.
Mr. Ravi Gosain, Vice President thanked Mr. Shoe Shekhar Shukla for the support he and his team has extended for organizing this workshop in Bhopal and thanked the members and members of press and media for joining the workshop. He also thanked Taj Lake Front and Hotel Jehan Numa Palace for the support extended. Mr. Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, IAS (Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation), Mr. Vivek Shrotriya IAS (Additional Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board), Mr. Yuvraj Padole (Dy. Director, Events and Marketing Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board) for gracing the occasion with their presence. He stressed on the fact that Associations and the Government to take up critical issues and solve them, India sells in collaboration, business is in collaboration, we complement not compete, stakeholders across India who market Madhya Pradesh are very important, Madhya Pradesh needs to focus on itineraries from Tour Operators across India. Media plays a very imp role to market India and All UNESCO heritage to be connected under UDAN SCHEME, this was placed by IATO in the recently concluded meeting of the Rajya Sabha Committee on Tourism.
Earlier Mr. Mahendra Pratap Singh, Chairman, IATO Madhya Pradesh Chapter welcomed Mr. Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary of Tourism and MD, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board for joining the workshop and panel discussion.
The meet was followed by a visit of IATO to Sanchi as a facet of on on-site marketing
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