Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The 39th annual conference of IATO (Indian Association of Tour Operators) will be held at Taj Lakefront in Bhopal on Friday (August 30). The three-day conference will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister of the state, Mohan Yadav in the auspicious presence of Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture, Tourism, Religious Trusts and Endowment Dharmendra Singh Lodhi.
More than 1200 tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers and representatives of the tourism sector from across the country will participate in the conference being held on the theme ‘Resurgent India Inbound’.
FP Photo
Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department will promote state as a clean, green and safe destination as per information shared by Managing Director of Tourism Development Corporation Ilayaraja T, Additional Managing Director of Tourism Board Bidisha Mukherjee, President of IATO Rajeev Mehra, Vice President Ravi Gosain, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Chapter Chairman Mahendra Pratap Singh to media persons in a press conference on Thursday.
The conference will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav on August 30, after which the first day will conclude with cultural presentations. Business sessions will be held on the second day on August 31. Rajnish Kaistha, Sr. Vice President, IATO will begin the session with opening remarks followed by Convention Film.
The business session on ‘Resurgent India Inbound’ - Strategy to Reposition India amid Challenging business environment will be moderated by Arvind Singh, IAS (Retd), Secretary to the Govt. of India and will be attended by Gyan Bhushan, IES- Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Principal Secretary Tourism, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, Mukesh Kumar Meshram, IAS-Principal Secretary & Director General- Tourism, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Abhay Kumar Singh - IAS, Secretary Tourism, Department of Tourism, Government of Bihar, Yasha Mudgal, IAS, Commissioner cum Secretary (Tourism), Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir, BN Patil, IAS-Director, Directorate of Tourism, Govt. of Maharashtra and Vikram Madhok, MD-Abercrombie & Kent
.jpg)
The second session will be in Madhya Pradesh. In which information on the tourism characteristics and possibilities of the state will be given by Bidisha Mukherjee, Additional Managing Director, and Tourism Board. After this, discussions will be held by subject experts through 4 other sessions to increase the number of foreign tourists across the country.
On September 1, 'Run for Responsible Tourism' will begin from Raja Bhoj Statue located on VIP Road at 6 am and return to the statue via Hotel Imperial Sabre intersection. There will be post tours after the IATO conference on September 2 in which tour operators and travel agents will be taken to major tourist destinations like Bhopal, Bhojpur, Bhimbetka, Pachmarhi, Khajuraho, Indore, Udayagiri, Sanchi.
