TravTalk India Online Magazine
The second edition of PATA Tourism PowerHouse, presented by Inder Sharma Foundation (ISF), was concluded at The Park, New Delhi. The event, since its inaugural session last year, has been hailed as a one-of-a-kind opportunity to interact with the best in the business, paving a well-informed and new way of thinking for the sector.
Nisha Verma
The second PATA Tourism PowerHouse saw stalwarts of the tourism industry, from India and outside, come together to discuss the challenges and opportunities for India as a tourism destination. The theme of this year’s event was ‘India Tourism – The Big Leap Forward’, and saw a range of speakers sharing their views and knowledge with attendees. The full-day event was inaugurated by Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA; Yogendra Tripathi, Secretary – Tourism, Government of India and Chairman, PATA India Chapter; Jatinder Taneja, Vice Chairman, PATA India Chapter; John Koldowski, Special Advisor to CEO, PATA and Professor, School of Tourism, Leshan Normal University, Sichuan Province, China; Priya Paul, Chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels; Arjun Sharma, Trustee, ISF and Chairman, Select Group; Neeraj Ghei, Chairman, ISF and SanJeet, Hony. Treasurer, PATA India Chapter.
Welcoming delegates, Taneja said, “We have invited international speakers and opinion leaders to share their invaluable insights and to enlighten us about international tourism trends, thereby encouraging all of us to think above and beyond conventional ideas. PATA India Chapter, one of the most active and dynamic chapters in Asia Pacific today, will complete 50 years in 2020. It has already won several awards for chapter excellence at PATA. With over 10 million foreign visitors annually and a vision of doubling the number to 20 million, India has never been more enthusiastic about promoting its incredible tourism potential.” He also thanked Inder Sharma Foundation, and trustees Sharma and Ghei, for supporting Power- House and being a key sponsor of the event.
Sharma commented, “My father, in his lifetime, had created the Inder Sharma Foundation, which has presented several scholarships in the world of tourism. We are now keenly looking at transforming ISF into the Inder Sharma Think-tank, for which we hope to partner with PATA and Government of India. I must also say that Ministry of Tourism has provided the industry with a springboard, which has not been seen in the last 30-35 years. It’s time that we give back to society.”
Claiming that this second edition was a much-needed event after the successful conclusion of the inaugural session last year, Hardy said, “After the first event last year, PATA India Chapter’s Executive Committee and we decided to host it again. I personally enjoyed meeting new people and understanding the challenges and opportunities that India had in terms of development of tourism. For those coming from overseas, it’s a great learning experience, understanding the market from international speakers and get- ting a different perspective. I am glad that the Chapter decided to host the event again.”
Tripathi also agreed that Tourism PowerHouse is an important event because it not only brings all stakeholders together, but also brings in the most distinguished personalities from different segments of the trade globally, who come as speakers. “This way, PowerHouse offers an opportunity to local trade representatives and professionals to stay updated on international trends and facilitate a new way of thinking,” he shared.
