The month of March witnesses the globe’s largest travel and tourism gathering – ITB Berlin. The world almost descends in Germany to understand new markets and businesses or to just re-affirm their partnerships with existing partners. India too has a place in the market, wherein both the public and private sector players related to the tourism industry make their presence felt. The private sector stakeholders surely have a strategy in place to expand their business network and seek new opportunities for growth. The question is about the state tourism boards. Barring a few who have a clearly defined agenda for such global events, for many it’s just an international event, which is an interesting break from the routine.
I feel it is time, state tourism boards also unite to offer the world the few but magnificent tourism circuits that give the inbound clientele a strong reason to visit India. The Delhi-Agra-Jaipur circuit undoubtedly is a winner, but I am sure somewhere in the distant past, that circuit too had to be marketed right.
India has some extraordinary wildlife experiences. The Eastern Maharashtra zone moving into Madhya Pradesh has some super trails to explore. The East of India into the North East is another jewel while Kaziranga has its own story.
Our cover story this issue is dedicated to India’s ecotourism hotspots. There are those who painstakingly push the envelope forward in the field of sustainable and responsible tourism. It’s important to celebrate the contributions of such work in a field that does not believe in instant gratification. On the other hand, the work is about grit and prolonged gestation so that Gen-next gains. To cite an example is the story of Manipur, featured within this issue’s news section. The state looks committed to promoting ecotourism. The Government of Manipur has taken up the ‘Integrated Tourist Destination of Ecotourism Complex’ project at Mata Mualtam Hyde Out Park in the Churachandpur district of Manipur with funding from the ministry of tourism, Government of India in 2013-2014. Hope this tribe increases both in the private and the public domains.
Reema Lokesh
Editor