Workshop on Skill Trends and Skill Needs in tourism sector in India inaugurated

“It is high time to have a separate tourism department in AMU as we need to target on job oriented courses in the campus; India is the Sub-regions most competitive travel and tourism economy and its travel and hospitality sector have witnessed an upward trend and we need to capitalise on the demand in the industry” said the Vice Chancellor Prof Tariq Mansoor, while presiding over the inaugural function of a week-long workshop on Skill Trends and Skill Needs in Tourism Sector sponsored by Ministry of Tourism in India held today at HRDC Auditorium, AMU.

The Vice chancellor added that Medical tourism can also be promoted through suitable packaging of identified best hospitals and price banding for various specific treatments as India offers all kinds of medical and health related treatments at around one-fifth the cost in European countries or the USA.  .

The Chief Guest on the occasion Zia Siddiqui (CEO and MD, Alliance Hotels and Resorts group, New Delhi) , briefed that technological developments has resulted in increased mobile data  consumption which is changing  customer expectations.  Tourism marketing and operational practices need to be upgraded and today’s students and tomorrow’s professionals also need to move from traditional work channel to digital work understanding.

Guest of Honour Nimit Chowdhary (HOD, DTHM, Jamia Millia Islamia) emphasised on efforts to improve skills and to promote tourism education without borders in the region in order to maintain and to boost competitiveness of the region. The workshop has much relevance as the world celebrates world tourism day on September 27, he added.

The special guest on the occasion Lokesh Matta (Regional Training Business Development Manager for South Asia Region, IATA) in his power point presentation said that one in every 10 jobs on planet is working with tourism industry.

In his welcome address the Workshop Director and Chairman of the department Nawab A Khan highlighted the latest trends and skill needs in the hotel, catering and tourism sector from an international perspective.

The Patron  Imran Saleem touched many important issues on the subject and said that there are numerous stakeholders involved in the tourism industry. Understanding the tourism industry supply chain is the key to understand its effects.

Later the Vice Chancellor released two books; New Tourism Paradigms in a Changing World: Innovations, Dynamics and Future Perspectives Hardcover – 2019 by Nawab Ali Khan(Editor),  SheebaHamid (Editor),  Amodini Sreedharan (Editor) and Compilation of Solved Previous Years` Papers with explanatory answers of UGC-NET for Tourism Administration and Management (since 2012), by  Sheeba Hamid(Author) and Sujood (Author). Abdullah Samdani (Law Student) was also presented a book by the Vice Chancellor for his contribution in the edited book; New Tourism Paradigms. Mementos and green plants were also presented to the guests during the programme.