The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.
― Marcel Proust
― Marcel Proust
According to UNWTO, the
United Nations General Assembly announced the adoption of 2017 as the
International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. Tourism can
contribute to all the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic,
social and environmental. It can fulfill
each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set up by UN. Not only does the tourism
sector spearhead growth, it also improves the quality of people’s lives. It can
bolster environmental protection, champion diverse cultural heritage, and
strengthen peace in the world.
World
Tourism Day 2017, being celebrated on 27th September, presents a
unique opportunity to raise awareness on the contribution of sustainable
tourism towards development among public and private sector decision-makers and
the international community. At the same
time; mobilizing all stakeholders to
work together in making tourism a catalyst for positive change.
The UNWTO Secretary-General annually sends out a message to
the general public to mark the occasion. Many tourism enterprises and organizations,
as well as government agencies with a special interest in tourism, celebrate
the event with various special events and festivities. This year the message is
to celebrate World
Tourism Day by taking the pledge to Travel, Enjoy and Respect the Environment.
Different types of competitions, such as photo competitions
promoting tourism, as well as tourism award presentations in areas such as
ecotourism, are held on World Tourism Day. Other activities include free
entries, discounts or special offers for the general public to any site of
tourism interest. Government and community leaders, as tourism business
representatives, make public announcements or offer special tours or fares to
promote both their region and World Tourism Day on or around September 27.
We
at the Apeejay institute of Hospitality have been celebrating the World Tourism
Day as a day of Community Lunch. The students get
dishes from their regions whereas the hostlers make their traditional food at
the institute kitchen. The delicacies are
then served to their fellow students, the institute staff as well as the hotel
HODs. The celebration is ‘quite a spread’ of the rich cuisines from across
India. Everyone not only relishes the sumptuous meal but also learns about the different
cuisines of India. Recipes are exchanged between the attending members, people
sharing the ‘mother’s secret recipe’ which generally remains within the family.
One gets to see and sample dishes such as avial, neer dosa, poran poli, Sindhi
kadi, dal pakwan, dal bati churma, gatte ki sabzi, salli murg, biryani, thepla,
chhole puri, Goan fish curry, masale bhaat, chokha and sattu to name a few.
This activity of community lunch not only creates a bonding between the diners
but also people get inspired to learn more about the different regions and their
cultures, often prompting them to travel. The main idea of tourism is to create
harmony and understanding, isn’t it?
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
~Mark Twain
This year, we organized an elaborate program in addition to
the community lunch, wanted to use it as a platform to understand sustainable
development and drive the message home to our students, staff and guests to
travel more, enjoy the destination, it’s culture and food. And respect the
environment while doing so. We decided to add elements and events that’d do
exactly the same. Mr. Pramod Dalvi, Vice president, Public Relations, Kesari
Tours, was invited to be the chief guest for the event and address the
students. Mr. Dalvi brings with him four decades of rich experience in the
Travel and Tourism sector. He delivered a very powerful and enriching speech,
which was accepted very well by one and all present. Am sure everyone is
motivated to travel more hence forth. Mr.
Ravi Rawat, General Manager of The Park Navi Mumbai, also addressed the
audience. He emphasized on the importance and impact of tourism on the hotel
industry. This was followed by the Vice Principal of the Institute Mr. Shirish
Bokde, who spoke about what tourism meant to him and what he wanted people to
start doing from their end. The Cultural program put up by the students was
next in the list of events. The finale was the poster designing competition where
we received many entries from the students.
A day well spent amidst good food, enlightening talks
and entertainment.
