The OTM 2019 that recently concluded in Mumbai witnessed many countries showcasing their exotic tourism wares, while creating awareness about benefits being provided by their countries for tourists and businesses.
Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, Mauritius Minister for Tourism, said that Tourism and film-making needed to go hand-in-hand as the first film shot in Mauritius with Indian filmstar Rajesh Khanna drew lots of tourists and the country was interested in developing the film industry growth here. “In 2013, the Mauritius Government announced various schemes including 40% tax breaks for shooting of films, TV serials, music videos and film production. With tourism increasing, film production must become a very important tool as I believe we have a ‘one-stop-facility for seamless film production in Mauritius and are open to reasonable suggestions from all filmmakers,” he said.
Arvind Bundhun, Director, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA), said that main tourists here are from France though Indian tourists constitute 52% of tourists coming to Mauritius, which is a “Little India” witnessing celebrations of festivals like Navratri, Diwali. “With India’s GDP going up, we are looking at attracting them through Mauritius’ diverse tourism activities, eco-friendly resorts and schemes, besides also looking beyond beach destinations as our country is like a second ‘United Nations” with around five different cultures, cuisine, adventure, sports and religions,” he said.
While the country witnessed 1.4 million visitors and raked in Mauritian Rs 500 million, it is also welcoming global investors, including companies transferring their headquarters to a no-visa-needed-for-Indians to Mauritius. Sugar was once the country’s backbone but tourism has taken priority, he noted.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is increasing its tourism destinations. Dr R Sigit Witjaksono, Director of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia, disclosed that the country’s Tourism Department is in the process of developing 10 new destinations including the famous Komodo National park – that is home to the ‘Komodo Dragons.’
“We have the world’s largest Buddhist temple called ‘Borobudur’ located near the town of Muntilan in Central Java, Indonesia and which is a 9th century Mahayana having one of the largest and most complete ‘ensembles’ of Buddhist reliefs in the world,” he said while describing the country’s present tourism income as US$ 15 billion annually with this figure expected to rise to US$ 20 billion this year.
“Tourism is our 2nd biggest revenue earner – after Fruit Palm Oil – and Indian tourists are our second biggest market after Chinese tourists. Our tourism breakup is: Nature (35%), MICE (5%), while 40% tourists come to Bali, Jakarta (30%), Batam (20% — from Singapore) and Bintan Island drawing Indian weddings and honeymooners, besides beach tourism and adventure tourism also being the crowd-pullers alongside the country’s efforts of sustainable eco-tourism,” he said.
“Wak Atan in South Sulawesi is a protected area, while Raja Ampat islands is like “Heaven” — though only for selected tourists — as it is very expensive. Mount Bromo in Surabaya is an active volcano, while tourists can see “Blue Fire” in Banyuwangi that springs out among the yellow sulphurous rocks in the stunning Ijen crater which are cut and gathered manually by traditional miners. Banyuwangi — which is near Bali and has wild animals freely roaming on the nature reserve of Alas Purwo, which is the oldest game reserve on Java – also takes in the surplus tourist overflow from Bali via a one-hour trip and many of them are Australians,” Witjaksono added.
The Galapagos’ Archipelago — famed for its Giant Long-living Tortoises – was highlighted at the OTM 2019. Francisco Dousdebes, Galapagos Product Manager of Metropolitan Touring, Ecuador, said Ecuador received 1.2 million tourists annually, though majority of them do not stay on the Galapagos Islands — due to very few convenient facilities – which ensures that it remains in a pristine condition. These tourists are taken on the island tours via 74 marine vessels comprising expedition boats to fishing vessels converted by fishermen for generating additional income, he said.
“What keeps these islands protected and environmentally-sound is the Government’s moratorium on the number of permits issue for boat tourism. The Government gives US$ 2-3 million to its Ministry of Tourism exclusively for tourism activities,” Dousdebes said while describing the OTM 2019 as his second participation in this event in India for which he sought to hold specific meetings with interested tour operators, and create awareness about Ecuador’s exciting tourist destinations.
“Kayaking, snorkeling, scubadiving are the activities in the Galapagos’ 20 islands – an Archipelago – spread over 130 square kms as a province of Ecuador and famous for its long-living, giant Tortoises, which inspired noted biologist Charles Darwin about the theory of natural selection/evolution to coin the phrase Survival of the Fittest. These tortoises weigh upto 200 kgs and are about 4 feet long with lifespan of between 170-180 years being normal for them,” he said, adding “At present, we have between 18,000 to 20,000 such tortoises on the Galapagos islands, though the only other place on earth you find such giant tortoises is Aldabra atoll (Seychelles).
