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Adopt Strategies To Achieve 50 Million Tourists In Five Years: Kalam
The recently concluded fifth global World Travel and Tourism
Council's (WTTC) Summit in New Delhi in partnership with the ministry of tourism,
saw president of India, A P J Abdul Kalam talk about enhancing the potential
of travel and tourism in India. He said that both the government and industry
must work out a strategy to increase tourist arrivals to 50 million in five
years. With an integrated approach and adoption of new strategies the said number
could be achieved easily. Citing examples of famous tourist spots like Dubai
and Maldives who are cashing in on tourism.
Kalam added that Dubai is planning to increase tourist arrivals five times due
to an integrated response wherein the whole government pitches in to fulfill
the national objective. We have to take the message coming out of this experience
and plan for multiple requirements simultaneously for promoting tourism in our
country. In 2004, Maldives had attracted tourists, twice its population. On
analysis, the reason of growth could be cited as, that the government of Maldives
provides the Islands for development as tourist's spot on lease to private enterprises.
India can certainly take a cue from these destinations, study this model and
evolve island tourism in Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar.
Adding further Kalam said, "Lakshadweep can provide hinterland tourist
package due to its close proximity to Kerala and this will be an additional
promotional proposition for the tourism industry. This mission has to be accomplished
through government- private partnership."
While commenting on India's enormous potential, the President mentioned that
India is a journey of discovery and tourists from all over the world can see
the continuity of the only enriched civilisation of billions of people of the
largest democracy with multiple religions, multiple languages and multiple cultures.
President's seven Suggestions: -
1. In spite of all the variety of tourist destinations available, the present
tourist arrival in India is 3.7 million. We should work out a strategy through
which we can increase this arrival to at least 15 million within the next five
years and twenty five million with in the next ten years in partnership with
World Travel and Tourism specialists.
2. Tourism is a mission and needs the working together of multiple ministries
and industries, sometimes even nations. The tourism leaders and managers have
to be innovative to provide time bound tourist flow and tourist infrastructure
generation.
3. It is essential to derive the successful tourism practices and experience,
followed in different regions of the world from the conference participants
and put them into action in Indian tourism industry.
4. Evolution of a special method by which the Indian spiritual, religious, health
and eco-tourism (sea, hill, desert, and island) can be promoted as an individual
or an integrated package based on the interest of the tourists. Personalised
tourist packages have to be evolved and continuously upgraded.
5. I suggest the design of an inter ministerial coordination system, which will
be needed for the development of infrastructure in terms of hotels, road connectivity,
air-connectivity, communication system, IT-enabled services, healthcare and
human resource development. It is essential to Build, Own and Operate tourism
as a public-private partnership venture.
6. Tourism has multiple dimensions. They have to be taught in schools and colleges.
Tourism syllabus has to be designed and introduced.
7. It is also important to promote multi-national tourism in specific areas
with SAARC and ASEAN countries. Promotion of multi-national spiritual tourism
connecting important Buddhist centers in India, Nepal and Thailand operated
by a single air-line can also be considered.
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