Adventure Tourism Convention at Statue of Unity, Gujarat

Gandhinagar, Dec 15 (PTI) A three-day convention to be held from December 16 at Statue of Unity in Narmada district ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit will provide a platform to discuss a roadmap for development of adventure tourism in the state, officials said on Friday.
Nearly 200 delegates are expected to take part in the 'Annual Adventure Tourism Convention 2023' at Statue of Unity (SoU) near Ekta Nagar which is being organised in run-up to the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024 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 Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) and the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL), said ATOAI president Ajeet Bajaj at a press conference here.
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 ATOAI Annual Adventure Tourism Convention aims to propel India into the top 10 adventure travel destinations globally by promoting sustainable, responsible, and safe adventure tourism practices," Bajaj said.
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 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Union tourism secretary V Vidyavathi, Gujarat tourism secretary Hareet Shukla and Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Information Systems and Coordination) Lt General Rakesh Kapoor.
The convention in Gujarat holds immense potential for the state's development, particularly in the realm of adventure tourism, said an official release.
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.

With the rising popularity of adventure tourism globally, Gujarat is actively working on creating avenues that can stimulate economic growth, empower local communities, and promote sustainable development in the state's remote regions, said the release.
Gujarat tourism secretary Shukla said nearly 200 participants, including adventure tour operators and field experts, will converge for the event at SoU.
"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" Shukla told reporters.
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," he added.
ATOAI president 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," Bajaj said.