Business To Business Meet

8 ^thJuly 2011 - B2B MEET CARNIVAL INAUGURATED

Kalpetta: The third edition of Wayanad Monsoon Carnival- Splash 2011 organised under the auspices of Wayanad Tourism Organisation was inaugurated on Friday at Chandragiri Auditorium, Kalpetta, and Wayanad with the ‘Business to Business Meet’.

The smart and vibrant Tourism Director Rani George inaugurated the event. Addressing a mammoth crowd she said that the Wayanad Tourism Organisation has become a role model for other forums of stakeholders. Rani George inaugurating theB2B meet organized in connection with the Wayanad Monsoon Carnival. WTO president Jose Kainadi, secretary K R Vancheeswaran, Splash Convener K Raveendran among others are seen. On the progress of the Kerala Tourism Rani George said that the launching of Kerala Travel Mart was a mile stone in the history of the industry which caters to 6.5 lakh international tourists and 85 lakh domestic tourists. On the efforts of Wayanad Tourism Organisation in promoting Wayanad as a vibrant tourism destination she said that “the unique formulation of stakeholders in the industry succeeded in establishing the brand”. “The trend of seasonal and weekend tourism activities should be changed by filling the other days with variety of programmes”, she added.

 “To ensure more growth in the tourism industry the state should improve the quality of products and service catering to tourists”, she said.

“Within the budgetary constrains, it would be tough for the department of tourism to perform all the tasks alone”; she said adding that “the cooperation of other government agencies and non-government agencies are essential for the purpose”.

Jose Kainady, president, WTO presided over the function. Riyas Ahmmed, president, Kerala Travel Mart, Abraham George, president, Accredited Travel Operators’ Association, Kerala, M R Gopalakrishnan and Harilal, editor, Yathra Travel Magazine among others spoke. K R Vancheeswaran, secretary, WTO welcomed the gathering where as K Raveendran, convener, Splash proposed a vote of thanks.

Around 250 travel operators participated in the B2B meet in which 60 tourism properties were showcased. Apart from properties of the district, properties from adjacent districts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka also participated in the event. After the B2B meet the travel operators also visited the properties of their choice. 

South Wayanad DFO K K Sunilkumar inaugurated the cross-country race organised in connection with the carnival at Kakkavayal in the morning. The race concluded at the venue of B2B Meet at Chandragiri auditorium.

Various outdoor programmes organised in connection with the carnival including mud football would be held on Saturday at various parts of the district. A two-day photo exhibition organized in connection with the carnival under the joint auspices of All Kerala Photographers’ Association and Department of Public Relations would begin on Saturday.

 

    The Business to Business (B2B) Meet organised under the auspices of WTO would open the venue of Wayanad Carnival for entrepreneurs beyond the Geographical boundaries.
   In the B2B (Business To Business) meet organised in 2010 about 100 travel operators participated earning a good clientele for the 35 WTO member properties round the year.
   This year WTO is all set to organise B2B meet in a more vibrant manner. In the B2B meet scheduled to be held on July 8 as many as 200 travel agents from various parts of the nation and overseas, are expected to meet the entrepreneurs apart from about a dozen travel writers.
   We wish to share the fruits of the carnival with non-WTO members even those from beyond the geographical barriers of Wayanad. WTO is offering table space for tourism entrepreneurs of Malabar, Courg, Mysore and Nilgiris in the B2B meet for a registration fee of Rs.10000 per firm. Two persons from the property can avail the space to present their property.
   The entry-passes for the carnival programmes would be given free of cost to the two representatives of the property, apart from lunch.