Vani Sharma hosted The Exotica Tourism Summit 2020

EE News Desk Feb 28, 2020

The Pioneer, one of the oldest national newspapers in the country, launched its interactive dialogues that had set the tenor of the nation's future by way of ideas, debates and discussions. It began its inaugural edition of The Pioneer Agenda series with The Exotica Tourism Summit 2020 at Shangrila, New Delhi on February 26 which was hosted by Anchor Vani Sharma.

The best minds in the tourism industry and the Government came together to talk about the evolution and future of travel and created a roadmap for the way ahead. With five all-encompassing panels that talked about every aspect of the industry, this was a can't-be-missed event for those who watch the travel space avidly.

Some of the panels at the event were:

PANEL 1: Desh Dekho
Reinventing the wheel: How to rebrand an old concept and link it to discovery of new destinations, given the Government's intent to develop 17 iconic tourist destinations. How to get domestic travellers to look for exotica within, given the Prime Minister's call to travel to at least 15 destinations at home? How to develop a hub and spoke model where the hinterland of known tourist spots can be developed as a linked experience?

PANEL 2: Over-tourism and sustainability
With the Himalayan hill stations under threat of stressed resources of power and water due to more than normal footfalls, where do we draw the line and where do we divert the travel addict to without denting the tourist economy? The need of the hour is sustainable and eco-friendly tourism in times of climate change. How to ensure compliance across the industry with standard codes and challenge existing ones in popular circuits? Beach tourism is likely to get affected badly with rising seawater due to global warming and there is a need to protect our coastline wealth sensibly. How to integrate communities and help them become the core of a tourist economy?

PANEL 3: Highway to heaven
India's growing road network and connectivity corridors have changed the way they travel. How completed corridors are opening up a greater tourist bouquet with last-mile connectivity.

PANEL 4: Seeing is believing
On breaking barriers and hitting the road, building personal stories that connect Digital tourism: how technology has changed the industry by way of customising choice and the tourism experience. How instagram and social media have changed the way we travel, our perspectives and can actually be used to document both personal memories and issues regarding historicity, geology and environment: SOTC

PANEL 5: Diversity in tourism
Women travelers, curated trips, accessibility – all of these have become segments in themselves and have a dedicated set answering to the requirements.