Pandemic hit 2020 brought many a public events, fairs and festivals and exhibitions home to our desktops. As we begin to settle in 2021, the events are now beginning to go back to their public venues, hotels, expocentres etc., albeit slowly and cautiously. Recent efforts by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, to revive travel and tourism in view of the evolving fight against the Covid-19 pandemic has given a boost to industry confidence too.
Come February 12-14 and India’s tourism industry will witness its first major physical event of the year in the 10th ADTOI Annual Convention & Exhibition that is scheduled at Gujarat’s Kevadia, the site of Statue of Unity. Association’s President PP Khanna insists that the ADTOI Convention, followed by South Asia biggest travel expo SATTE in March, will herald the recovery of tourism activities in the country.
“We have the first major travel association event (ADTOI Convention) taking place in a fortnight and that too on the initiative of the State government. And the following month, we have the South Asia biggest travel fair and first major international travel show SATTE taking place in Delhi NCR. These events will herald the restart of tourism in India.”
“The sector has seen a few hybrid as well as physical-only events in December-January. The famous North-East Festival 2020 in December was hugely successful so were the ABTO (Association of Buddhist Tour Operators) Convention in Bodh Gaya and the MoT sponsored B2B ‘Boutique roadshows’ in Raipur and Goa.All went without any untoward pandemic related incident. It clearly shows that we are not only capable of hosting events like annual conventions and fairs with purpose and responsibility, but also that it is the need of the hour. Looking at the great expectations from domestic tourism in reviving India’s tourism fortune, it was only incumbent upon us to lead the way and be torch bearer,” Khanna said.
“And now we have the first major travel association event (ADTOI Convention) taking place in a fortnight and that too on the initiative of the State government. And the following month, we have the South Asia biggest travel fair and first major international travel show SATTE taking place in Delhi NCR. These events will herald the restart of tourism in India,” he further added.
“Tourism trade and the industry at large is now ready and equipped with every safety protocols and SOPs. And I insist that we need to take every necessary and possible precautions and hygiene protocols towards a safe and fruitful event, be it our forthcoming convention or any other event. But not being in action should not be the option anymore. We need to be brave.”
Khanna said that the ensuing fight against the pandemic will continue for some time,whereas the country’s economy cannot be allowed to tank any further. “Tourism trade and the industry at large is now ready and equipped with every safety protocols and SOPs. And I insist that we need to take every necessary and possible precautions and hygiene protocols towards a safe and fruitful event, be it our forthcoming convention or any other event.But not being in action should not be the option anymore. We need to be brave,” a determined Khanna stressed.
“As one of the worst hit economies, India has witnessed unprecedented erosion in economy and employment with projections of double-digit contraction for the financial year 2020-21. However, there are encouraging signs of economic recovery. The new International Monetary Fund (IMF) report has upgraded India’s GDP projection for the current fiscal. It has revised GDP contraction from 10.3 per cent earlier to 8 per cent now for the pandemic hit 2020-21,” said Khanna.
One of the biggest employer, tourism’s slow but steady recovery manifests in IMF’s encouraging report on the Indian economy. We need to start giving the recovery a definite shape that can address our country’s and States’ economic and employment woes. The forthcoming ADTOI Convention is being organised with these objectives in mind and more,” said Khanna while concluding.
