CHANDIGARH: 14 October 2011: To fulfill its objectives of becoming one of the leading
educational institutes in the country offering quality education, training, research
and consultancy in the field of hospitality, tourism, travel and allied
sectors, on 15-16 October, University Institute of Hotel Management and
Tourism (UIHMT), Panjab University Chandigarh is organising its first ever
seminar on “Tourism and Hospitality Industry – Omission, Innovation and
Challenges” which is dedicated to address a wide vista of related issues.
Around 153 delegates from various parts of India will participate in the
seminar and it is expected that there will be 108 research presentations.     

One of the primary objectives of the seminar is to provide a platform for
creating an environment conducive to the growth of tourism and hospitality
industry in India, particularly in the region through initiating advisory
and consultative processes amongst the stakeholders of industry.   There
will be the investigation of current scenario of tourism and hospitality
industry, driven by the fast-paced advances in the information & technology field; and
in the light of the changes that are characterized in terms of innovations. The other
objectives of seminar are:     

•     To discuss the changing dimensions, upcoming trends and innovations in
global tourism and hospitality industry.     
•     To evolve with strategies for imminent challenges to the tourism and
hospitality industry.     
•     To discuss the impact of different policies/events on the tourism and
hospitality sector     .
•     To propose to overcome dimensions requiring changes in tourism and
hospitality industry, based on findings of seminar.     

This seminar will be inaugurated at 1200 HRS on 15th October at ICSSR
seminar hall by Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister for Parliamentary
Affairs and Water Resources.  Prof. R.C. Sobti, Vice Chancellor, Panjab
University will deliver the presidential speech.  Noted tourism author and
researcher Prof. Erik Cohen; Professor Emeritus, Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Israel is going to deliver the keynote address.     

At this occasion Dr. R. N. Pandey, Additional Director General, Ministry
of Tourism, Government of India and Prof. Manjula Chaudhary, Director,
Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management will be the guests of
honour.

On Saturday there will be a plenary session with presentations by Punjab
Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board on Destination Punjab; by Prof. S.P.
Bansal (Director, Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies, Himachal
Pradesh University) – on sustainability issues in tourism and hospitality
industry; by Dr. R.N. Pandey- on tourism statistics; by Prof. Manjula
Chaudhary on the tourism and hospitality education; by Mr. Anil Malhotra
(Taj Group) on Hospitality Industry Insights and By Prof. S.C. Bagri
(Director-Tourism and Hospitality Studies, Garhwal University)- on
learning from past.     

On Sunday there will be six technical sessions, Contemporary Practices;
Human Resource Development for Tourism and Hospitality Industry; Issues in
Sustainable Development; Tourism Destinations: Policy, Planning and
Development ; Destination Punjab and Looking for future ; Marketing and
Branding of Industry.     

The valedictory function will be on Sunday at 4 PM, with Mr. Dhanpat
Singh, FC&PS (Tourism), Haryana as chief guest, while the function will be
presided by Prof. A.S. Ahluwalia, Dean Student Welfare, Panjab University.
At this Occasion Dr. K.K. Rattu, Director, Doordarshan; Prof. Deepak
Kapoor, Dean, Faculty of Business Management; Mr. Navin Kumar, Principal,
IHM, Chandigarh and Mr. T.K. Rajdan, Principal CIHM, Chandigarh will be
guests of honour.
                                                       Press Note No.426
                                                           MMK/PS