Presenting their views on the first day of Hostocon - 2013, a national seminar on the topic “One Billion Tourists - One Billion Opportunities” organised by the University of Hotel Managament and Tourism (UIHMT) at Panjab University (PU), speakers from various institutions across India presented their views on issues related to Indian tourism.
“The Indian tourism industry does not realise what it itself wants from educational institutions offering courses in tourism, and instead keeps on cribbing against them. Indian tourism has to be based on ecological diversity and India has to bring sustainability in its policies along with dynamism in terms of its tourism curriculum,” said Professor Kapil Kumar, Chairperson, Faculty of History, Indira Gandhi National Open University.
“Athough, the first tourism journal was started in India, the research sector of Indian tourism is the weakest as it has failed to pick up with the demand of time,” he further added.
“15 percent of the officials serving the Indian tourism industry do not possess a degree. Moreover, policies are made without knowing the ground realities. The domestic tourist is not given importance by the tourism industry,” said Professor SP Bansal, Vice Chancellor, Maharaja Agrasen University, Baddi and Secretary General, Indian Tourism Congress.
The creator-director of the Rock Garden, Nek Chand Saini was honoured with the ‘Paryattan Ratan’, a special award for contribution in tourism by Professor Arun Grover, Vice-Chancellor, PU.