Gujarat Travel Mart 2012 to be held in Ahmedabad in February
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Tourism recently revealed the tentative dates for the Gujarat Travel Mart 2012 on the sidelines of the announcement of Rann Utsav 2011 and the International Kite Festival in Mumbai. Speaking to FPG about the Mart, Vipul Mittra, Principal Secretary - Tourism, Civil Aviation and Pilgrimage, Government of Gujarat revealed that while the dates were not finalised, the mart would definitely take place by the second week of February. The tentative dates are February 13-15, 2012 at the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Tourism has tied up with Sphere Travelmedia & Exhibitions for the Mart.
Additionally, in a bid to attract international travellers, Gujarat Tourism will launch its 'Khushboo Gujarat Ki' campaign globally on the CNN and BBC networks. "We have already been promoting the destination and its fairs and festivals in other countries through the Government of India offices abroad and in-flight magazines available on all major airlines. However, it is the Amitabh Bachchan campaign that has drawn in the maximum number of domestic tourists, and that is why we have chosen to use that internationally as well," added Mittra. The campaign will be launched globally in the first week of January 2012.
In addition to the Rann Utsav announcement, Gujarat Tourism said that it would spend Rs 635 crore for developing tourism-related infrastructure over the next three years as it expects more visitors and aims to increase the share of tourism revenue in the state GDP, which is currently only about one per cent, moneycontrol.com reported. "Various Government departments, along with Gujarat Tourism Corporation, will be investing over Rs 635 crore in infrastructure build-up over the next three years," Mittra said. "As far as tourist arrivals are concerned, we hope to receive two crore people this year, up from 1.8 crore last year. Of this, we expect 4 lakh to be foreign visitors, up from 3.2 lakh last year," said Sanjay Kaul, Commissioner- Tourism and MD, Gujarat Tourism.
Mittra said the department will be spending around Rs 2 crore to promote the Rann Utsav to be celebrated from December 9, this year to January 15, next year. Gujarat Tourism annually spends Rs 50 crore on marketing. The kite festival will be held form January 10-15, 2012.
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