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Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board, in conjunction with the Madhya Pradesh Chapter of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), organised a workshop along with a panel discussion in Bhopal on July 26, 2023.
The primary objective of the workshop was to explore strategies for boosting foreign tourism in Madhya Pradesh, identifying new destinations and circuits, and fostering collaborations with airlines and hotels with support from IATO and its members.
During the panel discussion organised by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board with the Executive Committee of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), a dynamic exchange of ideas and insights occurred, bringing together government officials, IATO members, and stakeholders of Madhya Pradesh to shed light on the crucial factors influencing inbound tourism in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary Tourism, and Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board highlighted the significance of Madhya Pradesh’s three world heritage sites – Sanchi, Bhimbetka, and Khajuraho – and proposed declaring Gwalior as the city of music.
Shukla further stressed on the need for partnerships among hotels and airlines to propel Madhya Pradesh to the next level and position it as an emerging MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and wedding destination, both for domestic and international travellers. He also spoke about collaborations to enhance tourism infrastructure, connectivity, and the spoke and hub model in tourism.
Additionally, he emphasised the importance of creating an ecosystem to boost inbound tourism, and he called for the presence of 50 strong tour operators based in Madhya Pradesh. Rural tourism was highlighted as a unique selling point (USP) for the state.
Rajiv Mehra, President of Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), underscored the need to promote Madhya Pradesh for cultural tourism, in addition to its other facets such as wildlife. He revealed that based on feedback from foreign tour operators, both North East and Madhya Pradesh are in high demand among international tourists.
Connectivity was identified as a thrust area, and he mentioned that Indigo would be operating in the Khajuraho – Varanasi sector, which would significantly boost tourism in Madhya Pradesh. He assured the audience that IATO is actively pursuing last-mile connectivity with Indigo and Air India for tourist destinations in Madhya Pradesh.
The introduction of direct Khajuraho-Varanasi flights will boost tourism and the region’s economy. The Ministry of Civil Aviation also plans to introduce helicopter services connecting Indore, Bhopal, and Khajuraho. Moreover, Minister Scindia inaugurated three Flight Training Organizations (FTOs) in Khajuraho, marking a significant milestone for Madhya Pradesh with a total of six FTOs in the state.
He further informed them about the appointment of Mahendra Pratap Singh as the Chairman of IATO Madhya Pradesh Chapter. He also extended an invitation to the attendees to participate in the 38th IATO Annual Convention scheduled to take place in Aurangabad from September 29 to October 2, 2023. Ravi Gosain, Vice President of IATO, stressed the importance of collaboration between associations and the government to address critical issues and emphasised that India sells as a collective effort rather than individual competition. He highlighted the significance of tour operators from across India in shaping itineraries for Madhya Pradesh, and emphasised the role of the media in promoting India and connecting all UNESCO heritage sites under the UDAN scheme, a proposal made by IATO in a recent meeting with the Rajya Sabha Committee on Tourism.
He also thanked Shukla for supporting the workshop in Bhopal and thanked the members of the press, media, Taj Lake Front, and Hotel Jehan Numa Palace for their contributions.
The event witnessed the participation of approximately 125 tourism professionals from Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh regions.
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