The Travel Agents Association of India [TAAI] recently concluded their 65th Convention and Exhibition in Kunming, China. The TAAI convention is expected to accelerate tourism between India and China. The three-day conference [Nov 27 – Nov 29] which took place at the stunning Intercontinental Hotel across the Dianchi Lake, saw over 480 respected members from the travel fraternity of India participating in the event.
The events at the convention were primarily centred around the theme – ‘Tourism Beyond Boundaries’. Industry leaders exchanged dialogues around the theme in an effort to take tourism in India and China to new levels.
Industry speakers like Kapil Bhatia, Executive Chairman, Interglobe Enterprises, John Koldowski, Professor, School of Tourism, Leshan Normal University, and several others were seen addressing the travel fraternity at the event.
The event was preceded over by Mme Li Milan, Vice Governor of Yunnan province, who inaugurated the convention on day one. On the occasion, she stated that people to people exchange is a key element of tourism and it will play an important role in enhancing relations between India and China.
He Ligui Director General, Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, on the occasion stated that the tourism department of China is keen on wooing more tourists from India. Furthermore, he opined that Kunming’s year-round spring-like weather makes it an ideal destination spot. He added that Kunming is just 4 hours by flight from Delhi, the capital of India, and 2 hours from Kolkata, making it a convenient place to travel to from either of these cities.
To strengthen ties further, TAAI signed a MoU with the Yunnan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism [YPDCT], on day two of the convention.
Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI stated that the convention will act as a platform to boost more tourism opportunities between the two countries.
“Yunnan has huge potential to attract tourists from India. There are a number of exotic spots in Yunnan and people who go to foreign locations for weddings can come here.”
Speaking about TAAI’s 65th Convention, Li Bijan, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in India, stated,
“It would be a model platform for the other platforms of cooperation like cooperation in sports, leisure and culture tourism. Moreover, it will also provide a platform for Chinese tour operators to know the requirements of the Indian tourists. Currently, around 800,000 Chinese visit India and around 200,000 Indians visit China and this number is very small. So, there is a huge opportunity for two way tourism exchange. If we can fly together, we can fly higher.”
Check out our overview of TAAI’s 65th Annual Convention and Exhibition!
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