MoU with Australia India Travel & Tourism Council marks milestone in bilateral partnership

Melbourne, July 5: Australia India Business Council (AIBC), the peak body facilitating bi-lateral trade and investment between Australia and India marked a milestone in bilateral relationship.

AIBC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Sofitel Wentworth in Sydney, with Australia India Travel & Tourism Council (AITTC) – the bilateral tourism council in Australia.

Travel and tourism initiatives will be a focus under the MoU arrangements and will see the two councils working together towards a mutually beneficial goal of promoting bilateral travel and tourism ventures in both countries.

AIBC will further and promote travel and tourism business opportunities between the two nations, tapping into AITTC’s key competencies in this sector.

Sheba Nandkeolyar, AIBC National Chair speaking at the MoU signing

Commenting on the milestone, AIBC National Chair Sheba Nandkeolyar said that the “Australia Inda Business Council is proud to partner with the Australia India Travel & Tourism Council on this bilateral travel and tourism initiative.

“We are confident that AITTC will be able to further drive and enhance the bilateral travel and tourism relationship between our two countries.

“Indeed, with India and Australia having recently moved to liberalise travel between the two the countries, this is an important step in bilateral relations.”

AITTC Chairman Sandip Hor believes that travel has enormous potential to build on the people-to-people links and relationships “that are so central to facilitating the bilateral business relationship.

“Through travel, the two countries can deepen our understanding of each other, our cultural dynamics and build bridges”.

He said that AITTC is committed to highlighting and promoting travel and tourism oportunities between the two countries and further bolstering bilateral engagement.

“We see this MOU as a significant step to bring the two organisations closer and add more value to the bilateral relationship”, he said.

(LtoR) Robert Siy Austrade, Rhonda Piggot DFAT, Sheba AIBC, Con AIBC, Paul Myler DFAT, Sandip Hor AITTC after MoU signing

Consul General of India, Mr B Vanlalvawna expressed his support for the initiative. While encouraging more Australians to visit India, he said that the MoU was a step in the right direction.

Paul Myler, Assistant Secretary of India and Indian Ocean – DFAT spoke about the proposed launch of the India Economic Strategy 2035 and the focus on certain bilateral opportunities including travel and tourism – which he said would be important cornerstones for this relationship.

He appreciated the business-focussed transformation that AIBC had taken recently and said that the MoU was reflective of this transformation.

The MoU signing event was also attended by Mr Robert Siy, Austrade Adviser, Tourism & Regional Investment, Trade & Investment Group; Ms Rhonda Piggott, DFATs NSW State Director; Mr Neville Roach, AIBC Chairman Emeritus; and representatives from AITTC among others.

Founded in 2012, AITTC represents organisations and individuals from across the travel and tourism industry in Australia and India. Its membership represents a wide spectrum of the industry from airlines, hotels, tour operators, travel agents, tourism bodies to travel media professionals.

The oprganisation aides to enhance and influence bilateral tourist traffic movement between two nations.

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