‘Women Spirit’ gets accolades in MITM 2015

Mumbai Sep 30: Women bring prosperity, not only to our home but to our Nation, said Hon’ble Minister for Finance, Planning and Forest, Shri Sudhir Mungantiwar while awarding women for their excellence in field of Tourism at MITM. The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) awarded five distinguished women for their contribution in a unique manner to tourism industry. The IIPT Award carried a special significance, as it was hosted by a unique entity – IIPT – which works for promoting peace through tourism globally.

Ms. Anita Deshpande Malik was awarded for her outstanding performance of setting Temple Pilots and she set up the Paragliding Academy and taught 1000 women to practice paragliding and she has popularized paragliding sports in Kamshet, Pune. The Second Awardee Ms. Pamela Malhotra who started India’s first private sanctuary known as SAI Sanctuary spread over 300 acres. She won the Award for promoting eco-tourism in Coorg, Karnataka. Another winner, Ms. Rashmi Sawant created a cultural space for preserving values and tradition in the name of ‘Cultural Aangan’ in Sindhudurg. The Award was conferred for her contribution in promoting rural tourism.

Ms. Neelu Singhwas awarded for creating unique products targeting women tourists in her online portal ‘Ezeego1’ for Technology in tourism and actor Ms. Sampada Kulkarni for leaving her dynamic film career for giving job opportunities for locals in Ratnagiri district. She created ‘Anandache Shet’, which is on a global map, as it attracts many tourists from across the globe.

Congratulating women who won the award, Shri Sudhir Mungantiwar, Mister for Finance, Planning and Forest said, “Women bring prosperity to our life, house and Nation. I personally believe women should be awarded for their excellence in any field. In the field of tourism, they have proved to be the strongest pillars and catalysts for major growth in this industry. It feels great to be associated with IIPT for their initiative of felicitating women.”

Ms Valsa Nair Singh, Principal Secretary Tourism and Cultural Affairs, GoM at the award ceremony said, “IITP awards is a unique felicitation for actions which made a difference to the industry and we congratulate the winners today. Their work is remarkable and needs global recognition, we are glad that IITP is motivating people to do better day by day”.

Founded in 1986 - almost 30 years ago - IIPT (International Institute for Peace Through Tourism) is a not for profit organization. Working very closely with the UNWTO and various governments across the world, IIPT has undertaken very unique initiatives. It works to nurture peace, sustainable tourism, environmental protection and the preservation of indigenous cultures and traditional skills. It was born with a vision of making travel and tourism the ‘World’s First Global Peace Industry’. Its notion is that the travel and tourism industry promotes the belief that ‘Every traveller is potentially an Ambassador for Peace’.

The award ceremony was held on the day two of MITM 2015 with eminent dignitaries like Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Vidyasagar Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Finance, Planning and Forest, Shri Sudhir Mungantiwar, Hon’ble Minister of State for Tourism Maharashtra, Prof Shri Ram Shinde, Principal Secretary Tourism and Cultural Affairs Government of Maharashtra, Smt Valsa Nair Singh, Managing Director MTDC, Shri ParaagJaiinNainuttia and MLA Parag Alawani.

ITP, through its Indian Chapter, has been relentlessly working to encourage and develop domestic and inbound ethical tourism in India based on the principles of sustainability, preservation of indigenous environment, culture, public hygiene, protection and safety of women and children. In all its endeavour, IIPT has worked towards mobilizing the travel tourism industry as a leading force for poverty reduction.

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Devendra Fadanvis inaugurates Maharashtra International Travel Mart

Mumbai 28th September 2015: The Government of Maharashtra’s ambitious international tourism promotion project, Maharashtra International Travel Mart 2015 - popularly known as MITM – was launched today amid the huge number of buyers and sellers of the tourism industry from various countries. The first ever edition of MITM, which is set to take Maharashtra’s robust tourism growth story on a global level was launched today at the gracious hands of Hon. Shri Devendra Fadanvis, Chief Minister, Maharashtra State.

Among eminent dignitaries present at the occasion were Hon. Prof.Shri Ram Shinde, Minister of State for Tourism, Home (Rural), Public Health and Marketing, Hon. Shri Subhash Desai, Minister of Industries, Maharashtra State, Hon SmtVidya Thakur, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Hon Shri GajananKirtikar, Member of Parliament, Shri Swadhin Kshatriya, IAS, Chief Secretary, Maharashtra Smt. Valsa Singh Nair, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism & Culture, Maharashtra State, Shri ParaagJaiinNainuttia, IAS, Managing Director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).

A three-day event, Maharashtra International Travel Mart is a flagship global tourism promotion platform conceived by the Department of Tourism, Maharashtra State to attract buyers and sellers of tourism industry from all across the globe to explore common growth opportunities in the robust tourism prospects of Maharashtra. A single forum of MITM witnessed an exciting response from the global tourism stakeholders with more than 250 registrations coming in from hoteliers, travel agents and tour operators from abroad and India.

A strategic promotional forum of MITM assumes a special significance; particularly when Maharashtra Tourism is going through an exciting phase with ever increasing footfalls from global and domestic tourists crossing the 4.5 million and the 8.4 million mark in the recent past. It also bears a great significance when the State Tourism Department and its flagship agency MTDC have been   strategically building and promoting the unexplored tourism wealth of Maharashtra besides boosting conventional tourism assets on Indian and global circuits.

On the occasion of the inauguration of the first edition of MITM, 2015, said SmtValsa Singh Nair, Principal Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Maharashtra State, “While the Government of Maharashtra is intending to bring the State tourism on a global map, it becomes imperative to build further on the existing credentials of the State as the most preferred tourism destination and explore avenues to consolidate its positioning. With vast tourism assets at disposal, it is an opportune time for the State to win a prominent position in a global tourism league. This is possible only when we build and expand a strong tourism buyer and seller network within the State, within the country and on a global level.”

Adding further, she said, “MITM is an endeavour to bring in the maximum number of tourism buyers and sellers on a single platform and empower them to explore economic growth opportunities in Maharashtra’s tourism sector. We are happy to witness such a promising response from buyers and sellers from the globe. We are sure to see a number of partnership, tie-ups happening among tour operators, hoteliers, travel agents. It will also pave the way to attract foreign investments in the sector.”

Shri ParaagJaiinNainuttia IAS, Managing Director MTDC, said, “MITM will help our dedicated campaign of ‘Unlimited Maharashtra’ to reach the next level on a global platform, as more buyers and sellers can witness the State’s tourism prospects. When the State is striving hard to ensure a fast-track growth in tourism sector, MITM will open up an array of economic opportunities for buyers and sellers that will strengthen the eco-system of the State’s tourism. The participation from global tourism players will allow the deliveries of world-class tourism products and services to the visitors enriching their experiences.

MITM will showcase to buyers and sellers economic opportunities in Maharashtra’s compelling tourism destinations, cultural festivals, beaches, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, pilgrimage destinations, wildlife, national parks, social and study tourism and few others. It will also host various seminars.

The Day One of the MITM witnessed over 2,000 footfalls and the number is expected to rise in coming two days. Among various stakeholders, many tour companies from the US, the UK, South Africa, France, Greece, Japan and Australia marked their presence.  

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