GITM 2011 Knowledge Sessions to focus on emerging niche segments in India

To feature seminars organised in cooperation with ITB Berlin
P Krishna Kumar | New Delhi

The Knowledge Sessions at the second edition of Goa International Travel Mart (GITM) this year will focus on the emerging niche segments in India. The high powered conference programme of the Mart, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt Bambolim from October 21-23, will be bolstered by two seminars organised in cooperation with ITB Berlin, world’s leading travel exhibition organiser. ITB Berlin will be hosting seminars on Responsible Tourism and LGBT Tourism. The other international tie-up of the Mart is Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) coming on board as Wellness Partner. Apart from showcasing Wellness offerings, TAT will also fly down an expert from Thailand to speak on Spa and Wellness in Thailand.

Other sessions are on niche segments like Adventure Tourism and Spa and Wellness Tourism besides important topics like Branding and Reinventing a Destination, Marketing and Innovation in Tourism and the Role of Public-Private-Partnerships in Tourism and Destination Development. An impressive line-up of speakers comprising of Ministers, top government officials, CEO’s, industry experts, association heads etc. is being put together by TravelBiz Monitor and will include names such as Subodh Kant Sahai, Union Minister for Tourism, Government of India; Rika Jean-François, Sales Director for South Asia & Pacific and Commissioner for Corporate Social Responsibility, ITB Berlin; Thomas Bomkes, Managing Director, Diversity Tourism UG based in Munich, Germany; Rajeev Duggal, MD, Kuoni India; Amitabh Kant, CEO, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation; Ashish Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister of Maharashtra and former MD of MTDC; Dilip Puri, MD of Starwood Hotels India; P Manoharan, Director-India, Tourism Malaysia; Neelu Singh, COO, ezeego1, etc. GITM is organised and promoted jointly by Department of Tourism, Government of Goa and Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC); Tourism Association of Goa (TAG) and Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

Announcing the tie-up with ITB Berlin at a press conference during the PATA Travel Mart which concluded in New Delhi earlier this month, Swapnil Naik, Director, Goa Tourism said that the support from ITB Berlin will help take the Mart to the next level. He added that Goa Tourism wants to build synergies with neighbouring states like Maharashtra and Karnataka on the Western coast to create wholesome tourist circuits.

Melwyn Vaz, who took charge recently as Managing Director of GTDC, said that although Goa has a unique place on the global travel map, there is always scope for improvement and GITM is a major step in that direction. “GITM will bring better and greater opportunities to the travel and tourism trade in Goa. We are confident that GITM 2011 will be bigger and better,” stated Vaz.

Francois said that as the leading travel and tourism exhibition organisers, ITB bestows lot of importance to regional and local travel and tourism fairs. “We look at the destination and the seriousness of the organisers before supporting any of the local fairs. GITM fits in on both the counts,” stated Francois when quizzed about the decision to partner with GITM. She informed that ITB will bring in eminent panelists for both the seminars at GITM. Commenting on the LGBT market, Francois said that it is a niche market and if handled sensibly, can reap rich dividends to destinations and businesses.

Giving a brief preview of the Knowledge Sessions, Sheldon Santwan, Editor and COO, TravelBiz Monitor, said that “two out of the box” seminars by ITB will add value to all the deliberations at this year’s GITM. “There are plans to put together knowledge sessions around new and emerging sales segments and how these segments can be tapped through innovative marketing,” he added.

The theme of the Mart this year is ‘Unearth the Hidden Treasures of Goa’. Goa Tourism will be hosting around 450 buyers this year compared to 130 last year. In terms of the sellers at the exhibition, GITM organisers are expecting around 150 sellers against 80 last year. Leading travel companies like Kuoni, LPTI, TBI, etc. have already signed up as partners for the annual event. Air India will be the official carrier of GITM. Moreover, all the industry associations TAFI, IATO, TAAI, ADTOI, ATOAI, IAAI etc. are supporting the Mart and will be sending delegations to participate in the Mart.

Source: http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/gitm-2011-knowledge-sessions-to-focus-on-emerging-niche-segments-in-india-14490