TravTalk India Online Magazine
Lauding the recently held TAAI Convention in Srinagar, EM Najeeb, India Travel Award Winner and MD, Air Travel Enterprises India, said that the right promotion, change of perception and enabling environment by the government is key to growth of tourism in the country.
TT Bureau
MOT, an enabler
Lauding the Ministry of Tourism (MOT) for various schemes and initiatives, Najeeb said that the eight-point programme, and the decision to develop 10 iconic sites and infrastructure development by MOT are excellent plans. “MOT has come up with inspiring plans to attract people at various destinations and create innovative experiences for them. While foreign tourists tend to compare India with the neighbouring countries in terms of cost, there are others who want to come to India because our experiences are unique in comparison to other countries. Despite several initiatives by the government, it still needs to address two important issues— GST and seamless travel,” claims Najeeb.
He adds that the current Tourism Minister, KJ Alphons, is working hard to make India a viable destination for both international and domestic tourists. “Alphons has been an excellent influencer in Kerala and subsequently a good politician in the state. As the Tourism Minister, his appointment has brought a new impetus to tourism growth in India. He is very committed, focused and a receptive person. The best part is he is ready to support the industry and has taken up several industry issues at various ministries to find out solutions,” he reveals.
TAAI Convention
Appreciating TAAI’s decision to conduct its convention in Srinagar, EM Najeeb suggests that the move would give a big boost to tourism in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. “The experience of the delegates in Kashmir was excellent and the support received from the J&K Government was enormous. All of us should collectively take ownership to promote Kashmir to add to the strength of Indian tourism. I suggest TAAI should conduct at least one convention in India every alternate year, especially at the destinations which are not promoted well. Also, they should alternatively conduct roadshows with selected agents in different destinations to promote them.”
Medical tourism
As a huge player in the healthcare industry, Najeeb feels that medical tourism would grow at exponential rates in India. “Medical tourism is expected to grow at about US$8 billion in India in 2020. We have world-class hospitals offering medical value travel to any destination in the world. We get patients from our neighbouring countries, Southeastern countries, as well as European nations because of the waiting period and cost issues in their nations. What we need is international accreditations for hospitals and insurance companies. Those hospitals who have received accreditation and world-class service delivery can do well as far as medical value travel is concerned. The Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Tourism are promoting medical value travel in a substantial way. This segment could be a great strength in the future,” he shares.
“Alphons has been an influencer in Kerala. As Tourism Minister, his appointment has brought a new impetus to tourism growth in India”
Kerala Travel Mart (KTM)
Najeeb has been one of the initial participants of Kerala Travel Mart (KTM), which, in will be held in the month of September. However, after KTM’s success, many other states have come up with their own trade shows as well. Talking about how relevant KTM is in this scenario, Najeeb says, “KTM has always been focusing on new buyers, new destinations each year and we are inviting people by spending money from our pockets for their travel and accommodation. We are very selective this time and we want people who can actually bring value to Indian tourism. Other states following this model is a good idea. I think It’s an example of good partnership between the private sector and government.
