| India
has already captured the world’s imagination as a tourist
paradise. It now is in the unique position of offering a
suitable venue for international conferences and conventions
of international standards. Consider the India of today
- a meeting point of the past, present and future. While
retaining its ancient ethos of warmth, hospitality and tradition,
it has all the modern amenities a traveller from anywhere
in the world can wish for as well as the latest, almost
futuristic, technologies which ease communication and business.
Add to this the beauty the country offers, both of nature
and of man-made structures, and you have the dream destination
of any modern conference organiser or delegate.
Again,
why India? Because India is unique in offering unmatchable
cultural and heritage sites, awe-inspiring mountains,
fabulous beaches and both hot and cold deserts, as well
as excellent facilities for adventure holidays which can
be a part of the pre- and post-conference proceedings,
an irresistible draw for the participants.
Next,
India offers an educated manpower base with fluency in
English and other international languages. As for the
equipment and facilities which form the infrastructure
of conferences, India has the latest technologies and
an efficient support system. Consider business centres.
Every city mentioned here as a potential conference venue
offers computerised office automation systems, secretarial
services, travel and ticketing arrangements, local transportation
and sightseeing assistance, shopping and local information
guidance - all the things that are required to make organising
a conference stress-free. As for the equipment, mega screen
audio-visual projection systems, digital sound recording
and editing services, video / text / data / fax transmission
facilities, simultaneous translation in foreign and local
languages, media and satellite network connections, radio
paging and cellular telephony, TV and video production
and editing suites, Internet, E-mail and CD-ROM multimedia
- the most advanced systems are available at every venue.
Access
to the potential conference destinations is also easy
- today there are forty international airlines flying
into the country which connect up with a widespread domestic
airlines network, besides the government-run Indian Airlines,
which also offer the services of private air taxi companies
at convenient timings.
Conference
Destinations
Every place in India has some magic to offer. Whichever
venue you choose, there will be an exciting conducted
tour available to whisk you off into the very heart of
the country and its people.
Agra
offers the world-famous Taj Mahal from where visits to
the ruins of the forts and palaces of Fatehpur Sikri and
Agra Fort transport you to the grandeur of the Mughals.
In and around the Capital Delhi are not only ancient monuments
like the towering Qutub Minar and the Red Fort but also
the hustle-bustle of a young metropolis. Another metropolis
is Mumbai which, like Delhi, offers the ancient Elephanta
Caves and other heritage sites as well as a lively, cosmopolitan,
commercial city which parties into the wee hours of the
night. Pune, so close that people commute between the
two cities every day, is separated from Mumbai by the
quaint hill stations of Panchgani and Lonavla, ideal for
unwinding with their relaxed atmosphere and lovely walks.
Ooctacamund,
Mussorie and Srinagar are venues nestled in the mountains,
the former among the coffee plantations of the south and
the latter two in the Himalayas. The temple town of Khajuraho
is fascinating with the sculptures carved on the temple
walls representing various stages in the lives of humans.
Varanasi is another temple town but, unlike Khajuraho
it is a bustling city with a brisk trade, especially in
silks and brocades. Lucknow close by is an erstwhile princely
state which has somehow retained its old-world charm despite
its growth as a metro.
If
you choose Jaipur, Jodhpur or the city of lakes, Udaipur,
you can take a trip through the desert, participate in
the riotous fairs or visit the ancient forts, and beautiful
carved and painted palaces. Or you could visit the wildlife
sanctuaries with their flora and fauna unique to the subcontinent.
Goa
offers, besides pristine beaches, blue waters and water
sports, fabulous ancient forts, churches and temples.
You can travel further south to Bangalore, Chennai, and
Kochi. From here, you could visit the ruins of ancient
cities or see fabulous temples and sculptures. If you
are a nature-lover, you could travel down to the golden
beaches, green hills and the forests which provide sanctuary
to various species of animals and birds. You could visit
the temple cities of Kancheepuram, Tirupati and Madurai
or the coffee plantations on the slopes of Coorg. The
famous Kovalam beach, rated one of the ten best in the
world is a few hours’ drive away from Kochi while
Kanyakumari, land’s end of the subcontinent is just
two-and-a half hours from Kovalam. The green valleys of
Ooctacamund and Kodaikanal are unmatchable while the minarets
of the Charminar and the bustling pearl bazaars combined
with the aroma of Hyderabadi cuisine make Hyderabad a
tempting destination.
In
the east of India, Kolkata could be your conference venue
from where you could travel to the tea gardens of Darjeeling,
to the sanctuary of the one-horned rhino at Kaziranga,
to Shillong, the ‘Scotland of the East’, or
to fabulous Himalayan Sikkim. Or you could choose Bhubhaneshwar
in Orissa from where you are close to the fabulous sun
temple at Konark, the Jagannath Temple at Puri, the sanctuary
at Chilka lake, and the Buddhist relics and ruins on the
hill-tops of Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri.
One
thing common to all these venues are the showrooms displaying
local handicrafts, textiles, and sculptures - all the
things that artistic India makes. Add to this the warmth
and welcome of the people, their hospitality and the distinct
cuisine of each area and you have an unbeatable combination.
Combined
with the modern facilities each city offers, there is
no doubt that the entire concept of conferences and conventions
will be revolutionised by the Indian experience.
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