Concrete steps were taken to make the convention one of the first carbon-neutral events in the country
Concrete steps were taken to make the convention one of the first carbon-neutral events in the country

ATOAI Annual Convention: Exploring New Frontiers

With safety, innovation and sustainable growth in mind, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) hosted its 15th Annual Convention at Ekta Nagar in association with the Government of Gujarat recently
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Globally, as adventure becomes one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism, India needs to seal its position as a leader, as the North Star of Sustainable Adventure Tourism over the next 10 years.

To set forth on this mission of making our country the world’s No. 1 destination, the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) hosted its 15th Annual Convention at Ekta Nagar, near the Statue of Unity, in association with the Government of Gujarat. From heads of governments to senior public officials, industry leaders to members of the media, stakeholders and experts from all over India ideated, collaborated, and pledged to work towards a common goal over three intensive days. In keeping with the spirit of sustainable and inclusive growth, concrete steps were also taken to make the convention one of the first carbon-neutral events in the country.

SHREEJIFILMSS

In mission mode with (left to right) Mr Anil Oraw, Regional Director, North East, Ministry of Tourism, Mr D Venkatesan, Regional Director (South, West & Central Region), Ministry of Tourism, Dr Sourabh Pardhi, Managing Director & Commissioner of Gujarat Tourism, Mr Milind Soman, adventure ambassador, Mr Pema Khandu, Honourable CM, Arunachal Pradesh, Lt. Gen. Rakesh Kapoor, VSM Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Mr Pravinbhai Mali, MLA Deesa, Gujarat, Mr Ajeet Bajaj, President, ATOAI, and Mr Vaibhav Kala, Vice President, ATOAI.

Celebrating the cultural connections between the two states, Mr. Mulubhai Bera, Minister of Tourism, Gujarat, and  Mr. Swapnil Naik IAS, Secretary, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Arunachal Pradesh
Celebrating the cultural connections between the two states, Mr. Mulubhai Bera, Minister of Tourism, Gujarat, and  Mr. Swapnil Naik IAS, Secretary, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Arunachal PradeshSHREEJIFILMSS
Mr Pema Khandu, Honourable CM, Arunachal Pradesh, felicitates Malavath Poorna, the youngest Indian and youngest woman to scale Mt. Everest
Mr Pema Khandu, Honourable CM, Arunachal Pradesh, felicitates Malavath Poorna, the youngest Indian and youngest woman to scale Mt. EverestSHREEJIFILMSS
Leading the contingent of policymakers at the convention, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Verma IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
Leading the contingent of policymakers at the convention, Mr. Rakesh Kumar Verma IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
In attendance, special guest Mr Arvind Singh IAS, Former Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
In attendance, special guest Mr Arvind Singh IAS, Former Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
Delivering the Keynote Address, Mr Mike Druce, Founder, SlalomCoach, and former competitive canoeist and Olympic coach
Delivering the Keynote Address, Mr Mike Druce, Founder, SlalomCoach, and former competitive canoeist and Olympic coachSHREEJIFILMSS.
Speaking on effective communication, Mr Indranil Roy, CEO, Outlook Group
Speaking on effective communication, Mr Indranil Roy, CEO, Outlook Group
Veteran adventure tour operator, Rani Puri, being conferred the ATOAI Lifetime Achievement Award by Lt. Gen. Rakesh Kapoor, Milind Soman, and Nirat Bhatt, Honorary Treasurer, ATOAI
Veteran adventure tour operator, Rani Puri, being conferred the ATOAI Lifetime Achievement Award by Lt. Gen. Rakesh Kapoor, Milind Soman, and Nirat Bhatt, Honorary Treasurer, ATOAISHREEJIFILMSS
Taking a bow, the organising team with Mr Hareet Shukla, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Gujarat, Dr Sourabh Pardhi, Managing Director & Commissioner of Gujarat Tourism, and Capt. Swadesh Kumar, founding President, ATOAI
Taking a bow, the organising team with Mr Hareet Shukla, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Gujarat, Dr Sourabh Pardhi, Managing Director & Commissioner of Gujarat Tourism, and Capt. Swadesh Kumar, founding President, ATOAISHREEJIFILMSS.
ATOAI members, (left to right) Mr Ajeet Bajaj and Mr Tejbir Anand, with Mr Ashish Gupta, CEO, FAITH, Mr Muzammil Hussain, Co-founder, Roots Ladakh, Mr Mohit Gulia, Partner, Banjara Experiences, Ms Soity Banerjee, Project Editor, Outlook Responsible Tourism Initiative, and Ms Anusha Subramanian, Founding Partner, Bohemian Adventures LLP
ATOAI members, (left to right) Mr Ajeet Bajaj and Mr Tejbir Anand, with Mr Ashish Gupta, CEO, FAITH, Mr Muzammil Hussain, Co-founder, Roots Ladakh, Mr Mohit Gulia, Partner, Banjara Experiences, Ms Soity Banerjee, Project Editor, Outlook Responsible Tourism Initiative, and Ms Anusha Subramanian, Founding Partner, Bohemian Adventures LLP

Key Highlights of the Event

Bridging the gap between intention and action can be critical to the success of any mission. To hit the ground running, and to reinforce its commitment to making India the No.1 Sustainable Adventure Tourism Destination in the world, ATOAI took a few key steps during its 15th Annual Convention.

  • Team ATOAI drafted a Roadmap for Adventure Tourism in Gujarat— from planning and implementation to operationalizing and activating governance strategies—along with a practical Toolkit designed to evaluate the potential of adventure tour operators in the state. The Roadmap and Toolkit were unveiled at the convention by Mr. Mulubhai Bera, Minister of Tourism, Gujarat, Dr Darshnaben Deshmukh, MLA Nandod, and Pradeep Murthy, ATOAI Executive Committee Member.

  • From mapping the carbon footprint of the entire event to native afforestation and buying certified carbon credits to offset the total carbon emissions, ATOAI left no stone unturned to make its 15th convention one of the first Carbon-Neutral events in the country! Jaideep Bansal, ATOAI member and CEO, GHE, shares the highlights from the carbon-mapping report with the attendees.

  • ATOAI members also got the opportunity to travel across Northern Gujarat and Saurashtra to enjoy and experience the marvels of several destinations in the state and assess their potential as adventure tourism hubs.

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