JAMMU: The 1st Edition of SUYOG: LJK Tourism Summit was organized by Lead and co-hosted by IIM Jammu at its Jagti Campus on 27th March 2024. The LEAD-SUYOG-LJK Tourism Summit brought together various stakeholders, including academicians, sector experts, policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and youth representatives, to engage in meaningful dialogue on tapping employment opportunities in the tourism sector.
It is set to become a collective call to action for all participants in the transformative journey of the region. The Chief Guest of the event was Ms. Yasha Mudgal, IAS, Commissioner Secretary Tourism Jammu and Kashmir (J& K). The event was presided over by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu.The event commenced with the lighting of the lamp followed by the welcome of guests by Shri Raman Suri, Lead, followed by Sh. Rajesh Gupta (Board Member, LEAD) giving an overview of the Concept & Introduction - SUYOG 24.
Chief Guest Ms. Yasha Mudgal, IAS, Secretary, Commissioner Secretary, Tourism J&K; spoke about the various tourism-related opportunities and mentioned the socio-economic impact of the changing tourism scenario in the U.T of Jammu and Kashmir. She emphasized engaging activities for tourism development along with ease of doing business and spoke about Promotion 5 Pillar Strategy. She addressed various topics with regard to tourism ranging from current gaps and intervention.
Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director of IIM Jammu, in his inaugural address, spoke about the rapid transformation of the U.T of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. He mentioned the economy of Jammu and Kashmir being dependent on tourism and gave an overview of the immense potential of the U.T of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. He emphasized that tourism is an extremely promising sector that can make one an entrepreneur and emphasized the collaboration and working together among the three Institutes of national importance in Jammu.
He highlighted Jammu as not only the city of temples but also as the city of education, urging participants to explore unexplored tourist destinations and put them on the global map. He encouraged everyone to conduct a SWOT Analysis and visit the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India website to download the report. He advocated for affordable and economically viable tourism, mentioning the tradition of “Atithi Devo Bhava”” and the need for foreign investment. He stressed tourism growth and promotion in the U.T of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Shri Arun Kumar Manhas, JKAS, Director, Industries and Commerce, Jammu, spoke about the U.T of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh boasting immense potential and diversity. He gave an overview of the various schemes and incentives offered by the Government and reiterated about empowering women. He urged all participants to encourage their friends to invest in the U.T of Jammu and Kashmir due to the great returns on investment.
This was followed by Technical Sessions by Dr. Bharti Gupta, Assistant Professor, Tourism Department, Central University of Jammu, Dr. Anil Gupta, Head of Department, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Jammu, and Sh. Rajinder Kumar Sharma (JKAS), Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute.
This was followed by thought leaders and visionaries from diverse backgrounds sharing profound insights on key sectors and initiatives that can propel the region towards holistic and sustainable growth. Through this seminar, participants gained valuable perspectives on how to align their aspirations with the unfolding opportunities, contributing meaningfully to the region's progressive journey while building a bright future for themselves. The key objectives of the seminar were knowledge dissemination, youth engagement and empowerment, networking, and collaboration. The event was coordinated by Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Skill Development, IIM Jammu.
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