BY ELENA KOSOLAPOVA
AZERI OBSERVER STAFF WRITER
India is looking forward to receiving Azerbaijani tourists again. That was the main message of an event organized by the Embassy of India in Baku on the occasion of the Indian National Tourism Day. The event was held in a hybrid mode and was attended by over 60 prominent personalities in the field of tourism and hospitality industry, medical professionals and representatives of the media.
Ambassador of India Mr. B. Vanlalvawna in his welcome address stressed that the tourism sector plays an important role in India’s economy and there is a big room for enhancing cooperation with Azerbaijan in this area. He noted that the vast diversity of tourist attractions covering land and water bodies, rich national heritage and history, geographic and cultural diversities make India one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world and these attributes have attracted tourists from all over the world and gave them an experience to remember.
Mr. Rajiv Mehra, President of Indian Association of Tour Operators, speaking at the event, highlighted the strength of the Indian tourism industry, and its various attractions including culture and heritage,
Dr. Vignesh Devraj from Sitaram Ayurveda Centre in Kerala talked about wellness tourism in India and explained the significance of Ayurveda in delivering a holistic treatment.
Mr. Jithu Jose, Vice President – International Patients Division at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai gave a presentation on medical tourism and highlighted the strengths of the Indian healthcare sector and its comparative advantages as a medical tourism destination.
India celebrates National Tourism Day on January 25 every year across the country. The day is observed by the government and people of India to encourage tourism and explain the essential role of tourism in the growth of the country. According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India ranked 10th among the countries in the world in terms of travel & tourism’s total contribution to GDP in 2019. During 2019, contribution of travel & tourism to the country’s GDP was 6.8% of the total economy amounting to $194.30 billion.
