Ministry considering Versity for tourism management

Puducherry, Feb 22 (UNI) The Union Tourism Ministry is considering the establishment of a separate university for Tourism Education and Hospitality Management, Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Director, Sitikantha Mishra said.

Delivering the keynote address, at the two-day 'industry-institute-interface' event organised by the Department of Tourism Studies of the Pondicherry University here today, Prof Mishra said the separate university would be affiliated to all the Government - sponsored and private institutions, which were offering tourism and hospitality management courses in the country. There was a need for an Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management in the Southern part of the country, since such institutes were already there in all the other three regions, he added.

There was a huge gap between supply and demand of quality manpower in the tourism sector of the country, Mr Mishra said.

Domestic tourism should not be ignored while promoting tourism.

The Union HRD Ministry had set up a seven-member taskforce for tourism and hospitality management studies in the 11th plan, he said, adding tourism could bring economic and spiritual enhancement to the country.

Inaugurating the event, Pondicherry University Vice-Chancellor J A K Tareen appealed to the graduates passing out of the tourism department to be pro-active and innovative instead of taking the beaten track. Tourism contributes to the economic growth of the country, he added.

Prof Tareen said additional infrastructural facilities for other departments of the university would be provided soon at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The infrastrucutre would come up at an area of 110 acres, inside the university campus, he said, and added indoor games and sports activites would also be promoted as part of the infrastructure development programme.

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