Panjim to host International Travel Mart
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, SEPT 13
The International Travel Mart (ITM) Goa, to be held on October 14-17, 2010 in Panjim, will have the chief architect of ‘Incredible India’ campaign, Amitabh Kant as the keynote speaker.
ITM-Goa, which aims to boost tourism related business in the state, is jointly promoted by Department of Tourism, Government of Goa; Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC); Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG); Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and India Tourism.
Important tourism bodies like the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) and Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI), have also confirmed their participation, says a press release issued here.
According to the release, the event is an ideal venue for business networking and forging new relationships. It is also an opportunity for trade bodies to address concerns related to the travel and tourism sectors and collectively seek solutions that can help boost the economy of the sector. The ITM-Goa will hold buyer-seller interactive sessions, panel discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Amitabh Kant, who is regarded in the industry as branding guru of Indian tourism, has pioneered the hugely successful ‘Incredible India’ campaign during his stint as Joint Secretary of Ministry of Tourism. Kant is presently Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), a nodal agency handling the proposed USD 90 billion industrial and infrastructure project.
Meanwhile, the organisers of said even that the buyers from 12 countries have confirmed their participation for the event.
GTDC Managing Director Nikhil Desai said that buyers from countries like South Africa, Singapore, Italy, United Kingdom, United Arab emirates (UAE), Russia, Poland, Australia, Switzerland, Thailand, Jordon and Canada have confirmed that they would be coming to Goa for the event.
Desai said that 250 buyers from all over India and abroad will be at the mart.
Desai said that the organizers are enthused by the response. “I think it’s a step in the right direction. The industry is overwhelmingly supportive. Major five star chains have taken seriously to get access to direct buyers,” he added.
Dessai said that this is first attempt in which state government is actually inviting buyers to see Goa for themselves. “The concept is ‘Seeing is Believing.’ Rather than we going out and promoting, the trend is that people should come and see for themselves,” Desai said.
