Using the just concluded SATTE 2016 platform, Indian Union Minister of State for Tourism & Culture (I/C) and Civil Aviation, Mahesh Sharma, addressing the industry stakeholders from across the world made an impassioned plea for tourism to be considered as one of the key policy areas, for its potential for global peace, economic growth and regional integration.
In a passionate appeal, Sharma said, “Tourism’s multi-fold results, multi-fold effects need to be weighed and need to be discussed at such forum (SATTE). Tourism is not just about visiting one part of the world to another part of the world, or one country to another country. It is a science and we need to explore it. It’s an industry where we need inventions and experiments. It is a platform for international peace.”
Identifying tourism as an important channel of ‘communication’ during strife and differences, Sharma said that most of the time when there is international barrier or some kind of resentment between two communities or two countries, the problem has been lack of communication. “I think we can take this strength of tourism where we increase communication and before taking any decision, at least we use this platform of communication with our counterparts,” he said recognising tourism as an important channel to promote people to people interaction and social and cultural amity.
Sharma while complementing UBM India, organiser of SATTE, said that it is platforms like SATTE that not only facilitate exchange of ideas but also create conducive atmosphere of global peace through right ‘communication.’
“This is high time that, in the wider interest of international community and peace and international businesses and economy where the majority of the world is facing economic crisis, we need to explore the potential of tourism as an industry, tourism as its strength,” he stressed.
The Minister also highlighted tourism’s intrinsic nature in enhancing people to people connection and closer social-cultural integration between countries and communities as well as facilitating new learnings. Sharma said that it is not possible to explore and promote tourism in isolation or with singular effort of just one country, be it India or any other destination. “India has lot to learn and a lot to give to the tourism industry. We have to share our experiences in different fields. Tourism is a joint effort between countries. All of us especially, countries in South East Asia need to work together to create a win-win situation. We don’t have to talk in terms of inbound and outbound but in the wider interest of tourism industry, the multi-fold benefit of tourism as a tool of economic driver for the world. Tourism has to integrated in the world fora,” Sharma said
Sharma further said that in our country, we believe that tourism has not been given that push which it should have been given. “The Prime Minister considers tourism as an engine of economic growth that can also take perception of the country to the different corners of the world. The Prime Minister has given me the three ministries of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation. And I am using them in an integrated manner. But the ultimate effect has to come through tourism,” he said.
We have to showcase the great culture of this country starting from spirituality, yoga, ancient history and the monuments, coastline, snow clad mountains, natural beauty, wildlife, golf and MICE potential and country’s potential in medical and wellness offerings.
Sharma lauded the key role played by stakeholders from the Indian tourism industry. He said, “This industry is not possible until and unless we have the stakeholder together. We have taken all the initiatives with our stakeholders’ advice. They are our partners in showcasing India.”
Sharma also used the occasion to highlight the new initiatives being taken, implemented as well as those being considered. “We are still lagging behind. And we are trying to address the issues of weaknesses and strength of the tourism and hospitality industry such as the cleanliness, the security part, among others. We are trying to address them,” informed Sharma.
