Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday made a strong pitch for the adoption of sustainable and inclusive models in tourism as the future of the sector depends entirely on preserving nature and culture from the ravages of environmental destruction and climate change.
Inaugurating the first edition of South India’s prestigious travel expo Global Travel Market (GTM 2023) at The Leela Kovalam, a Raviz Hotel, Kovalam here, which brings together tourism sector stakeholders from across the world, the Governor said it is a great relief to see that nations are accelerating climate action by adopting sustainable and inclusive models.
The idea of sustainability and inclusivity has been reinforced by the recent G-20 leadership summit, which emphasised the key role of tourism in advancing social and economic development, he said. In a country like India, which has a vast history and cultural diversity, it is also important to strengthen heritage tourism, which holds immense potential, the Governor said. The travellers of today are keen observers and conscious about their ethical and ecological concerns and they look at tourism as an experience that provides an authentic feel of the nature, people and cultures of places they visit.
Quoting from ancient Indian texts like Upanishads, the Governor said “the respect for nature and the interest in preserving the environment have been part of our culture since time immemorial.” He said it was heartening to note that Kerala has made a paradigm shift towards promoting and supporting Green Tourism with greater emphasis on preserving ecology, culture and heritage. Noting that the age-old fame of Kerala had been acknowledged in accounts of travellers in the past, he said the awareness about the cultural and educational aspects of tourism is again on the rise.
Mr. Khan also released special edition of Metro Expedition magazine on the occasion. GTM 2023, an annual Business-to-Business (B2B) travel and trade exhibition, is organised by South Kerala Hoteliers Forum (SKHF), Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), Tavaz Ventures, Metro Media and Citrine Hospitality Ventures.
On the occasion, Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai inaugurated the seminar sessions which will deliberate on various topics on the theme ‘Experience the Essence of South India: Where Culture Meets Nature’.
Earlier, setting the context for the deliberations and interactions of the four-day meet, Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas unveiled GTM 2023 handbook at the venue.
More than 1000 trade visitors, 600 plus domestic and 100 international tour operators and 100 plus corporate buyers will attend the summit. Minister for Finance K.N. Balagopal will inaugurate the travel and trade exhibition of GTM 2023 at Travancore International Convention Centre, Greenfield International Stadium, Karyavattom, on Thursday.
The event will have 200 plus stalls put up by major hoteliers and resorts, tourism boards and organisations, airlines, travel agents, tour operators and travel tech innovators. Also, pavilions featuring six themes including inbound travel to Kerala, outbound travel operators (both B2B and B2C), Ayurveda, yoga and wellness, resorts, retreats and hospitals, wedding tourism, corporate conclaves, homestays and serviced villas will be set up at the travel expo. The expo will be open for the public to visit on September 30.
