Chander Abbot & Anu Vittal, Vasco Travel with Consul General Akhilesh Mishra & Mrs. Mishra
Fellow tour operators mingle before dinner is served
Guests enjoy a delicious Indian buffet
Consul General Mishra delivers a candid speech
Last week, a group of tour operators offering programs to India were invited by Vasco Travel to an exclusive reception at the home of Akhilesh Mishra the Consul General of India to enjoy the festive season and exchange views on promotion of tourism between India and Canada, as well as other issues relating to the tourism sector.
It was a lovely reception with over 30 major tour operators in attendance. During the cocktail hour, we had ample opportunity to greet old friends and make acquaintance with new ones before being invited into the Consul General’s elegant dining room where a wonderful buffet of exotic dishes representing every state in India was laid out for us to enjoy.
Following dinner, Consul General Mishra delivered a very candid speech about ongoing improvements to the tourist visa process and Canada-India relations in that regards. He encouraged feedback from all of his guests to help him prepare for ongoing dialogue which is expected to improve the process for obtaining an Indian Tourist Visa. The trials and tribulations of the operators did follow a common thread.
Mishra commented: “This reaching out to major tour operators who are active in the Canada-India tourism sector has been much needed. I found the interaction most useful and timely. It was encouraging to see the warmth and goodwill the tour operators have for India despite being harassed daily by BLS representatives. Some of the suggestions made are practical and doable."
The Chairman of Vasco Travel, Chander Abbot said that he was very pleased to be able to participate in such a special evening and looks forward to changes in the process that will surely help grow the tourist business to India.
Vasco Travel will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2014. Mr. Abbot says he and his organization are proud of their success as a boutique operator that has “built their business on service standards and upholding their commitments to their customers.”
