The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and the Department of Tourism, Government of West Bengal, formalized a partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday, December 1, 2023, at the prestigious ITC Royal Bengal in Kolkata.
The West Bengal Tourism Department is keen on unlocking the state’s tourism potential and establishing connections between tourism and its tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The overarching goal is to promote and safeguard folk art, craft, and folk genres while also diversifying tourism narratives. This includes ventures into rural tourism, homestays, eco-tourism, river tourism, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism, heritage tourism, and skill development for tourism stakeholders. The aim is to provide employment opportunities and ensure the seamless delivery of services to all involved in the tourism sector.
TAAI expresses its commitment to collaborating with the State of West Bengal to maximize the potential of its tourism sector. The association aims to create job opportunities, ensure sustainability, and foster economic and inclusive growth for the state. TAAI extends gratitude to the Tourism Secretary for considering its proposal on the State’s Tourism Policy and acknowledges the granting of Industry status to the Tourism and Hospitality Sector. Furthermore, TAAI has formally requested the inclusion of Travel Agents and Tour Operators in the policy that grants industry status.
TAAI’s collaborative efforts with the State of West Bengal will focus on enhancing Domestic, Inland, and Outbound Tourism. This includes studying policies related to tourism development, identifying investment opportunities, and analyzing relevant economic data. TAAI will provide assistance in obtaining clarifications on travel-related policies, address concerns, and recommend solutions to remove barriers hindering the expansion of tourism traffic in the state.
The MoU outlines several key areas of cooperation: Promoting and facilitating tourism-related projects and activities.,Supporting and encouraging the participation of business communities and other tourism segments in travel marts, exhibitions, and tourist festivals., Organizing seminars, workshops, and interface meetings to explore new opportunities and avenues for tourism traffic., Establishing joint committees or forums for business and government interaction, Identifying and exploring ways to increase business opportunities for the members of the Tourism Department, Government of West Bengal, and TAAI.
The MoU was signed in the presence of the TAAI National Managing Committee, Regional/Chapter Chairpersons, President of TAAI, Ms. Jyoti Mayal, and Ms. Nandini Chakravorty, Secretary – Tourism, Government of West Bengal. This collaboration aims to strengthen the ties between the travel industry and the government, fostering growth and development in West Bengal’s tourism sector.
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