Conclave to showcase mountains

sanjaytanya

Conclave to showcase mountains
ANJALI NAURIYAL

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2003 04:47:12 AM ]

The Uttaranchal Tourism Development Board (UTDB) in cooperation with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is organizing a Tourism Conclave in Uttaranchal from February 22-24 in Mussoorie

Time is now ripe to do some hard talk on the tourism sector in Uttaranchal. The state needs to sell tourism and trade with adequate level of standardization required in providing infrastructural facilities and other services to the tourists. The ambitious conclave planned by the Uttaranchal Tourism Development Board in cooperation with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) from February 22-24, 2003, (at Hotel JP Residency Manor, Mussoorie) may work like a magic wand for tourism in Uttaranchal.

The conclave, it is learnt, is intended to revitalize and address ‘tourism depressed areas’. It will also promote an ‘exploration’ of Uttaranchal apart from ‘showcasing the tourism potential and cultural heritage’ of the region.

Travel agents, tour operators, travel writers, representatives of the travel and hospitality industry associations, experts in the tourism and cultural sectors, diplomats, journalists and senior officials of the government of Uttaranchal and Government of India are all expected to put their heads together to facilitate an influx of tourists, and later by word of mouth selling of various destinations, lure them into repeating their visits. This three-day event has been designed to promote specific destinations/events in the state through multimedia presentations, exhibitions, FAM tours and cultural programmes. There would also be an investors’ meet wherein meaningful discussions between representatives of the tourism sector (both government and private) and investors (both national and international) on specific projects are expected to make much headway. Certain investment projects will be suggested by the consultants preparing the master plans. Many shelf projects have already been finalized and circulated amongst potential investors, both in India and abroad with the help of various national associations and organizations as well as Indian Embassies abroad.

A visit to Sir George Everest Estate, a proposed eco-tourism destination, Rishikesh and Hardwar with white water rafting in Ganges and Dhanolti has also been planned for travel writers, tour operators, travel agents and other service providers. So far so good. But once the euphoria dies down it should be time to impose stringent rules and policies. The government agencies must ensure enforcement of all rules of standardization of services!

Needless to say that all fly-by-night travel operators, touts, etc., must be prevented from damaging the image of the state at all costs.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...0694&sTy pe=1