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Rajasthan poised to become leading tourism hub: Vasundhara Raje
Jaipur, April 23 (IANS) Rajasthan was poised to take back the space of the country’s leading tourism hub in the country with the state witnessing a “huge energy” in the sector, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has said.
The target of 50 million tourist arrivals by 2020 to Rajasthan would be met much earlier with over 47 million tourist arrivals already have come to the state by end of 2017, said Raje in her address at the inauguration of the 10th edition of the Great India Travel Bazaar (GITB) here on Sunday night.
Claiming Rajasthan Tourism’s logo and tagline “Jane Kya Dikh Jaye” has created a buzz the world over, she said the aggressive and creative marketing campaign had translated into impressive increase in the tourist arrivals and it was no wonder that the state had recently won the prestigious ET Brand Equity Award.
In fact, Rajasthan Tourism had bagged as many as 47 awards in the past four years, she added.
Raje also thanked the Union government for having supported the tourism circuits in Rajasthan, while helping intra-state air connectivity, thus linking Jaipur to Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner while also meeting the long-standing demand of Jaipur being connected to Agra by air.
In the keynote address, Union Tourism Secretary Rashmi Verma said that in Rajasthan, Amer Fort has been selected as one of the 10 iconic sites from India to be developed in order to provide a better experience to the tourists.
Giving a snapshot of the Rajasthan tourism industry, state’s Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Subodh Agarwal said that in 2016-17, the tourist occupancy in hotels was 65 per cent compared to 58.9 percent in 2015, despite the inventory of rooms have gone up by 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, Jaipur airport was currently operating more than 70 flights, including international carriers, he added.
Ficci Tourism Committee Chairman Jyotsna Suri said that a total of 280 foreign buyers from 55 countries and 270 Indian exhibitors are participating in GITB 2018, which will witness around 11,000 pre-scheduled, structured B2B meetings in two days, adding that in the past 10 years, GITB has emerged as the leading inbound tourism mart.
Two knowledge papers – the FICCI-MRSS Study, titled “Rajasthan – A True Land of Culture and Heritage” and a Ficci-Yes Bank Study on “India Inbound Tourism: Decoding Strategies for Next Stage of Growth” were also released on the occasion.
An MoU between Ficci and Rajasthan’s Department of Tourism for organising GITB till 2024 was also done.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.