The Collectorate of Mumbai City hosts a Pre-Launch Travel Media and Trade Meet to present the vision for the Mumbai Tourism Initiative, a first-of-its-kind city destination branding initiative aimed at establishing Mumbai as a premier global tourism destination. The meet was arranged in online and in-person formats.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the Collectorate of Mumbai City, with the support of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). The year-long branding exercise seeks to bring Mumbai’s diverse tourism offerings into focus and strengthen the city’s identity on the national and global tourism map.
Addressing representatives of the travel media and travel trade associations, Smt. Aanchal Sood Goyal, IAS, Collector, Mumbai City, outlined the vision behind the initiative and highlighted the significance of undertaking the exercise at this juncture through a presentation.
Smt. Aanchal Sood Goyal, IAS, said, “With the completion of 100 years of the District Collectorate, Mumbai, and the 50th anniversary of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, this is an appropriate time to reconnect the missing dots and bring Mumbai Tourism forward as a distinct identity within the larger ambit of Maharashtra Tourism, Government of Maharashtra. This will help bring to light the hidden, lesser-known and much-appreciated experiences and immersive offerings of Mumbai for tourists.”
She further stated that senior officials of MTDC are extending their full support to the year-long branding exercise, to ensure that the initiative is sustained and strengthened in the future. Shri Neelesh R. Gatne, IAS, Managing Director, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), expressed his support for the initiative and said, “This is a valuable opportunity to bring city tourism into sharper focus in a planned and comprehensive manner. The experience of Mumbai can also serve as a model for similar city-level tourism initiatives across the State, in collaboration with the respective district administrations.”
The pre-launch meet was chaired by Smt. Aanchal Sood Goyal, IAS. Mr. Chandrashekhar Jaiswal, GM, MTDC, welcomed the travel media and trade across the country and is playing a crucial role in implementing the project. Smt. Manasi Kothare, the coordinating officer forMumbai Tourism Initiative and Head of Business Development, MTDC, reviewed all the suggestions and proposed the vote of thanks.
The meeting was attended by Additional Collector Shri Bappasaheb Krishnai Balasaheb Thorat and DPO Shri Sanjay Shinde, along with senior representatives from the travel trade, tourism and hospitality sectors and the media fraternity. The meeting witnessed participation from several senior industry leaders and representatives of prominent national and regional travel and tourism associations.
Among the industry doyens and senior association leaders present were:
● Mr. Ravi Gosain, President, IATO
● Mr. Subhash Goyal, Chairman, ICC Aviation & Tourism Experts Committee
● Padmashree Mr. Ajeet Bajaj, President, ATOAI
● Mr. Sunil Kumar, President, TAAI
● Mr. Abbas Moiz, President, TAFI
● Mr. Ved Khanna, President, ADTOI
● Mr. Pronab Sirkar
● Mr. Surendra Jaiswal, President, FHRAI
● Mr. Jagant Mehta, President, ETAA
● Mr. Ashish Gupta, CEO, FAITH
● Mr. Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman, ICPB
● Mr. Rajesh Arya, President, GAEHP
The meeting was also attended by:
● Mr. Thomas Joseph, Vice President, JWCC
● Mr. Rajesh Poddar, Mumbai Region Head, TAAI
● Mr. Nirat Bhat, ATOAI
● Ms. Punam Rajput, Executive Director, ICPB
● Mr. Abhijeet Patil, President, MTOA
● Mr. Uday Kadam, Vice President, MTOA
● Mr. Sandeep Shaw, Executive Director, GAEHP
● Mr. Pranav Bansal, General Secretary, GAEHP
● Dr. Gulshan Sharma, Director General, Chamber for Service Industry
● Mr. Gurbir Singh Bedi, Joint Honorary Secretary, HRAWI
● Ms. Soraya Postel, MTDC Homestay Owner
● Mr. Sachin Panchal, Founder, Motohom Caravan
● Mr. Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Joint Secretary, FHRAI and Treasurer, HRAWI
● Ms. Jeroo Bharucha, President, TOGA and others.
The interaction provided an important platform for stakeholders to understand the vision and objectives of the Mumbai Tourism Initiative, exchange views and contribute suggestions towards strengthening Mumbai’s tourism ecosystem. The participation of leading travel trade associations, hospitality bodies, tourism professionals and industry representatives reflected strong support for a coordinated approach to developing and promoting Mumbai as a destination.
The Collectorate of Mumbai City expressed its appreciation to all participating travel trade associations, industry leaders and media representatives for their active engagement and valuable inputs. Their continued participation and collaboration will be important in advancing the Mumbai Tourism Initiative and showcasing the city’s diverse heritage, culture, experiences and tourism offerings to visitors from India and around the world
