TravTalk India Online Magazine
Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA, highlights India’s potential in the travel and tourism industry due to its large population and the government’s “Travel for LiFE” concept promoting sustainability. India’s diverse cultures and attractions make it an appealing travel destination, he says. He also mentions the country’s recent achievements in space travel.
Janice Alyosius
Emphasising on the India’s potential in travel and tourism industry, Noor Ahmad Hamid, CEO, PATA said, “India is a very important source market for travel and tourism industry, not only because the country has a huge population base, but because of the recent announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Travel for Life” concept of sustainability and caring for the earth, which resonates well with what the whole global industry is talking about.”
He added, “India has diverse cultures and attractions that can attract the world and I think Incredible India marketing campaign that was launched many years ago still resonate well. And I think people will love to come to India because it is just an incredible destination.”
In terms of customer experience, Hamid pointed out that India’s diversity is one of its most remarkable features. “Travelling from one place to another within the country can feel like entering a completely different world. I believe that India has great appeal as a travel destination and the fact that PATA is here with our partner, travellers speak volumes about India being the upcoming destination of choice,” he said. He also stressed on India’s recent achievement in space travel, suggesting that this will further enhance its global appeal as a travel destination.
Emphasising on sustainability, Hamid highlighted PATA’s commitment to promoting responsible travel and tourism. “One of our key focus is sustainability. That is a very important agenda and very close to our heart. But more importantly, we also keep talking about responsible travel and tourism. I think it is not just about the destination being responsible for providing new safe spaces for travel and tourism, but more importantly, there must be responsible tourists also,” he said.
Discussing the necessary steps to attract more inbound tourists, Hamid pointed out, “One of the key challenges that India has, and maybe a lot of other destinations are facing too, is about the carrying capacity and overtourism. There are a lot of destinations and attractions in India that are not well travelled, or not well known, while others are very popular, that is where we have the challenge of overtourism. I think this is one of the key issues that we must look at seriously. For instance, the iconic Taj Mahal faces issues of overcrowding. Managing and controlling visitor numbers in these popular destinations is crucial to preserving their cultural and historical significance.”
Regarding PATA Travel Mart 2023, Hamid said that its primary focus is bringing together buyers and sellers in the travel and tourism industry. “There is a lot of interest from around the world to come to India, and likewise, for Indian tour operators to take outbound to the rest of the world. But more importantly, during the PATA Travel Mart, we also have sessions that will talk about various issues that are very important. Not only the trend, but also the key factors on how we can move forward and be more responsible and more sustainable for the industry,” he concluded.
