Mysuru: During the campaign for the May 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi (now Prime Minister) had promised to make Mysuru a global tourist destination and said, “Mysuru will draw tourists like Paris.”
It is September 2018 now and though the promise of drawing tourists to Mysuru like Paris remains a distant dream, Mysuru being a global tourist destination has reached stakeholders in Paris, thanks to a team of officials from Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) and Karnataka Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh who are showcasing Mysuru at IFTM – International French Travel Market – Paris.
The IFTM International French Travel Market – Top Resa being conducted from Sept. 25 to Sept. 28 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles is one of the leading travel and tourism trade shows in France and held annually. It is the key trade event and includes all the players in the travel sector — from tour operators and travel agencies to coach operators, airlines, event agencies. At IFTM Top Resa visitors can get comprehensive information, compare offers and get to know latest developments and trends.
At the event, the City of Mysuru, its royalty and the forthcoming Dasara celebrations have been showcased by the Karnataka team. Accompanied by KSTDC Managing Director Kumar Pushkar, Tourism Department Director B. Ramu, Managing Director of JLR Vijay Sharma, Minister Mahesh visited the stalls and kiosks set up at the venue and publicised Mysuru and its specialities.
Sharing his experiences at IFTM, Mahesh told Star of Mysore that it was a global event where key tourism players are involved. “Many representatives from developed countries are showcasing the tourism potential of their respective lands. Karnataka too is participating in the event in a big way where the forthcoming Dasara, its historical background, main attractions and must-visit destinations have been publicised,” he said.
IFTM Top Resa is the leading showcase for the entire tourism industry and a multi-sector event for both international and French markets, with leisure, business, MICE and group tourism all together under one roof. “After the event concludes on Sept. 28, we will take part in rallies and road shows at London and Glasgow. There too, Dasara will be publicised,” Mahesh said.
At the event, delegates are given an opportunity to meet the targeted audience, boost revenue and develop new business, enhance brand image, keep abreast of market developments and trends and schedule meetings with decision-makers.
More than 300 business-travel buyers from all over France and across the world are attending the event.
This post was published on September 28, 2018 6:39 pm