World Tourism Day was celebrated in a unique, unusual way in New Delhi, India, with the UNWTO deciding to make India the nodal point, so to say, to observe the day.
Also, the day coincided with the National Tourism awards 2017-18 being given on this day, for states and agents being recognized for their contribution to tourism.
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu was the chief guest at the function and gave out some of the awards. Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary general, UNWTO, was the special guest and joined the Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel in giving away the other awards.
The UNWTO SG in his speech said the industry must be ready to meet the coming challenges as it had done in the past. He emphasized that not only wages, but also security was important for people involved in the industry. Skills were important, he said, heard by the top brass and students of various tourism institutes.
Naidu noted that travel and tourism was ideal for women as a career. He was happy that the UNWTO had selected India to observe the day in India this year. The VP was earlier a Minister and noted that service excellence was important and that the world was looking to India for culture, cuisine, and cinema.
Apart from knowledge and understanding, tourism helps people gain happiness.
Minister Patel said that while money was important, changing perceptions was required. All stakeholders were important, including drivers, he noted.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- The VP was earlier a Minister and noted that service excellence was important and that the world was looking to India for culture, cuisine, and cinema.
- World Tourism Day was celebrated in a unique, unusual way in New Delhi, India, with the UNWTO deciding to make India the nodal point, so to say, to observe the day.
- The UNWTO SG in his speech said the industry must be ready to meet the coming challenges as it had done in the past.
