World Tourism Day 2023

World Tourism Day 2023

On 27th September, 2023, iLEAD, celebrated World Tourism Day with great enthusiasm and a keen focus on tourism and green investments. The event witnessed the presence of distinguished guests - Ms. Rowan Anisworth (Australian Consul-General in Kolkata), and Ms. Sumana Banerjee (Project Manager for UK Research and Innovation- Global Challenges Research Fund).

The event commenced with Ganesh Vandana, the Lighting of the Lamp and Felicitation of the guests. Mr. Pradip Chopra, Chairman of iLEAD, welcomed the guests and all the attendees with his speech and the esteemed guests shared their valuable insights on the tourism industry and the importance of sustainability in tourism.

Mr. Pradip Chopra emphasized the significance of sustainable tourism in today's world. He highlighted the history of India and shared his views on the tourism industry. He stated, "Tourism industry is going to be the fastest growing industry." He motivated all the attendees by suggesting them all to travel more, visit different places and countries. Also, he shared his views on environment and cultural heritage through sustainable tourism practices.

Both the guest speakers echoed Mr. Chopra's views, highlighting the need for sustainable tourism practices. They shared their knowledge and experiences in the tourism industry. They stressed the positive impacts of sustainability on the global tourism industry. Ms. Rowan Anisworth noted that nearly 90% of tourists in Australia now seek sustainable experiences during their visits. She also said, "The tourism industry contributes to climate change." According to her, reducing, refusing, reusing and recycling can lead us toward sustainability. Besides, Ms. Anisworth was so overwhelmed to visit Kolkata, she shared that she would love to visit Kolkata over any other place in the world. The culture, heritage, architecture, cuisine and most importantly the warmth she received in the city made her go gaga over Kolkata.

Ms. Sumana Banerjee shared her valuable thoughts and experiences on becoming an environment-conscious traveler to protect our mother nature for the future generation. Their thought-provoking insights encouraged the attendees to adopt sustainable practices and contribute to a greener and better tourism industry ahead.

The presence of the students of M.C. Kejriwal Vidyapeeth and Jodhpur Girls School along with the iLEADers enriched the event. Competitions like Model Making, Rangoli Making, Quiz and Reel Making were organized where the students participated with great enthusiasm. The event also witnessed a cultural program that included dance performance and fashion show that portrayed the cultures of different countries. The event ended with the prize distribution ceremony to the winners and the runner-ups of the competitions.