TBM Staff - Mumbai 
The Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) is set to commence its three-day Convention today at Statue of Unity in Gujarat. The event will provide a platform to discuss a roadmap for development of adventure tourism in the state, and bring Gujarat in the limelight for its adventure tourism offerings.
Nearly 200 delegates are expected to take part in the ‘Annual Adventure Tourism Convention 2023’, which is being organised in run-up to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit to be held in Gandhinagar from January 10 to 12.
The pre-Vibrant Gujarat event for promotion of adventure sport is being organised jointly by the ATOAI and the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited, ATOAI President Ajeet Bajaj told mediapersons in Gandhinagar.
In light of the industry’s rapid growth, the convention will provide a platform to discuss new trends, devise a toolkit to implement regulatory system and roadmap for development of adventure tourism in Gujarat, he said. “The convention aims to propel India into the top 10 adventure travel destinations globally by promoting sustainable, responsible, and safe adventure tourism practices,” Bajaj added.
Since the conference has been declared as ‘Carbon-Negative’, the convention’s carbon footprint will be calculated and offset through a tree-planting initiative during the conclave, sending a powerful message of sustainability to stakeholders, he said, adding it will be a single-use plastic-free event.
Speakers who are expected to share their thoughts at the event include Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Union Tourism Secretary V Vidyavathi and State Tourism Secretary Hareet Shukla, among others.
The convention in Gujarat holds immense potential for the state’s development, particularly in the realm of adventure tourism, said an official statement. Beyond the immediate economic injection that such events bring, Gujarat stands to benefit significantly from the subsequent growth of adventure tourism in the state, it added.
Shukla said that nearly 200 participants, including adventure tour operators and field experts, will converge for the event. “Adventure tourism contributes significantly to the global GDP and is recognized as the largest niche market. In collaboration with ATOAI, we will explore adventure tourism in Gujarat and we aim to facilitate year-round tourism activities in Gujarat. Our objective is to establish the state as a premier adventure tourist destination in the next 2 to 3 years” he told mediapersons.
The senior bureaucrat said India has potential to be a global leader in adventure tourism. “India, with its diverse landscape, has immense potential to be a global leader in adventure tourism as the travel and tourism sector contributed more than 7 per cent to the global GDP in 2022. Further, the sector is expected to grow at a rate of 6-7 per cent annually, reaching USD 25-30 trillion by 2047.”
Bajaj said his association wants India to be among the top 10 best destinations for adventure tourism in the next 10 years. “Before the pandemic, a global survey on global adventure tourism estimated the market size for adventure tourism at USD 683 billion and projections showed that by 2024 it will become a trillion dollar industry globally,” he added.
