University School of Tourism Airlines and Hotel Management (USTAHM) of Rayat Bahra University organized week-long celebrations to mark "World Tourism Day 2023".During the week-long celebrations the USTAHM organized a series of events and activities in line with the theme for World Tourism Day - "Tourism & Green Investments." The celebration brought together students, faculty members, and dignitaries to promote sustainable growth of the tourism industry.An international Industry Academia Conclave (IAC) was also organized. It featured eminent dignitaries from tourism and hospitality industries worldwide.
The event was inaugurated by Gurvinder Singh Bahra, Chancellor, Dr Parvinder Singh, Vice-Chancellor and Dr Madhumita Mukherjee, Director-Principal of USTAHM. The festivities began with a grand rally featuring USTAHM students and faculty members displaying slogans. Notably, both the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of Rayat Bahra University actively participated in the rally, uplifting the students' spirits.A range of events and competitions open to USTAHM and inter-departmental students marked the celebrations.
Participants showcased their talent in activities such as dry cooking shows, digital photography, mocktail preparation, extempore speaking, declamation, poster making, rangoli, mehndi, nail art, dancing, and singing.In the international Industry Academia Conclave (IAC) eminent dignitaries from tourism and hospitality industries worldwide who participated included Prof Dimitrios Buhalis, Director of the e-Tourism Lab and deputy director of the International Centre for Tourism & Hospitality Research at Bournemouth University Business School, England.
The participants also included Dr Anitban Mukhopadhyay, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, Prof Sutheeshna Babu, former Nodal Officer, National Institute of Water Sports, Ministry of Tourism, Panaji, Dr Sarah Hussain, Head of Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Dr Sandeep Kulshrestha, Chairman, IITTM, JNU Collaboration, and Dr Varinder Singh Rana, Department Chair, Hospitality & Tourism Management, City University Ajman, Ajman, UAE.
The other speakers included Chayan Das, Director of Sofine Tours & Events Pvt. Ltd, Goa, Arun Singh Thakur, Assistant Professor in Tourism, Panjab University, Chef Pawan Ailawadi, HOD, Academics, NFCI Hotel Management & Culinary Institute, Dr Rajiv Mishra, Dean and Professor at the School of Hospitality & Tourism, Galgotias University, and Dr Vikas Singh, Galgotias University.
Industry experts shared insights on various aspects of the tourism industry, post-COVID scenarios, sustainable growth through tourism and green investments, and other core issues related to tourism and hospitality sectors. The department also celebrated the opening of two books titled “Handbook of E-commerce and Digital Marketing” authored by Dr Madhumita Mukherjee, and Harshneet Singh Virk, and the other was “Handbook of Communication” authored by Dr Madhumita Mukherjee, and Harshneet Singh Virk, Chrag Kapoor, and Anshul Singh Thakur of USTAHM.