Tourism Breaking News
Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism (FHT), Amity University Uttar Pradesh Noida, in collaboration with International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA) and United Nations (Tourism) is organising a three-day International Conference on “Bridging the Gaps in Tourism Knowledge and practice: Sustainable Development, Regenerative Tourism, Digital Eco-Systems and Green Investments” from 6th to 8th February, 2025.
Inaugurating the Conference, Chief Guest, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Tourism & Minister of Culture, averred, “India’s cultural heritage has been the richest since ancient times and India was the focal point of knowledge, art, architecture, handicrafts, trade. Many people from various countries used to visit India to understand its rich cultural and traditional heritage. India is the mother of world tourism, and it has the potential to become the number one country in the tourism sector. Covid had a significant impact on the tourism industry but still we managed to bounce back. By the year 2040, India will become 6 trillion-dollar economy and tourism industry will contribute 10% to the economy. Under the visionary guidance of Prime Minister, 1,050 kms of roads, 157 airports and high-speed railway network have been created. Sustainability is a priority in the tourism industry and under “Paryatan Mitra” and “Paryatan Didi” initiatives, we aim to inculcate a sense of responsibility amongst the tourists to foster responsible and sustainable tourism. We also plan to give “Green Leaf Ratings” to the hotels for sustainability so that they comply with sustainable practices. Green investment, water conservation and green electricity will reduce the impact of climate change on the tourism sector.”
Dr. Ashok Chauhan, Founder President, Amity Education Group, stated, “We are extremely grateful to the hon’ble Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat ji for sparing his valuable time and sharing his immense knowledge with our students today. Tourism and culture are required to foster deep bilateral relations between two countries, therefore, we must work collectively for the development of the tourism industry and contribute to making India a Global Superpower.”
Prof. Cina Van Zyl, President, International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA), said, “There has been a significant increase in the number of Indian travellers and India will become the new tourism superpower very soon. Tourism enhances cross-cultural connections, and it can also help in transforming the society with exchange of knowledge and learning through collaboration and innovation.”
Prof (Dr) Balvinder Shukla, Vice Chancellor, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, said, “Post Covid, we have witnessed rebound tourism, wherein more people are travelling and exploring various parts of the world. Also, lesser-known destinations are becoming more popular and people are more interested in exploring new destinations. The Conference will focus on all aspects of sustainable tourism, and it is crucial to collaborate with all stakeholders and join hands to ensure sustainable tourism.”
Dr. Omar Valdez, Executive Director, United Nations Tourism (UNWTO) Academy, opined, “Amity University has organized this extremely relevant conference, and we need more such conferences for the growth of the tourism industry. We need more policy initiatives from the government to support the tourism industry so that the industry can thrive and become an integral contributor to the economy.”
Prof. S.P. Bansal, Vice Chancellor, Himachal Pradesh Central University & President ITHC, stated, “This Conference will prove to be significant milestone for the tourism sector. India has always converted challenges into opportunities and the government is constantly promoting the tourism sector through various initiatives such as “Dekho Apna Desh”, “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”, streamlining of e-visas and m-visas. Skill development of the youth is extremely crucial, and we need to address the skill gap in the tourism industry. Currently we do not have a Tourism University in the country, and we must aim to open a Tourism University soon. Skilling, reskilling and upskilling is the need of the hour, coinciding with the government’s mission of reform, perform and transform, in the tourism sector.”
Prof (Dr) M Sajnani, Dean, Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, said, “This Conference is unique in many ways since all the Research Papers submitted by the students will be published by ITSA. The Conference includes participants form 16 different countries and will have a total of 6 Plenary Sessions and 12 Parallel Sessions, wherein the experts form tourism industry will share their insights and guidance with the students.”
Also present on the occasion were Sh. Pushpraj Singh Ji, Maharaja Rewa, Chairman HHMCT HHR Group of Hotels, Dr. W. Selvamurthy President Amity Science Technology and Innovation Foundation, Dr. Sanjeev Bansal, Additional Pro vice Chancellor AUUP, faculty and students of Amity. A Book of Abstracts was released during the Inaugural Session and Awards were presented to Industry Icons, recognizing their contribution to the tourism industry.
During the two-day Conference 10 Parallel Sessions, 6 Paper Presentations, 7 Plenary Sessions are being organized. In addition, a Tourism Expo is also being organized which will have more than 30 stalls of leading travel companies.
