No one has doubts that over the decades, tourism a key driver for socio-economic progress has experienced continued growth and deepening ‎diversification to become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world.

The business volume of tourism currently is said to equal or even surpasses that of oil exports, ‎food products or automobiles. The global spread of tourism in industrialized and developed states has produced ‎economic and employment benefits in many related sectors - from construction to telecommunications or agriculture.‎ The contribution of tourism to economic activity globally is estimated at some 5% while its contribution to employment is estimated in the order of 6-7% of the overall number of direct and indirect jobs.

Tourism not only represents one of the main income ‎sources for many developing countries but has undoubtedly become one of the major players in ‎international commerce. This growth goes hand in hand with increasing diversification and competition among destinations.‎

September 27 every year is celebrated as World Tourism Day - WTD, a special day set by the United Nations World Tourism Organization – UNWTO wtd.unwto.org/ to remind the general population on the importance of the tourism industry, not only as the globe's major economic activity and source of employment, but also as a means to achieve cultural understanding and as a significant contributor towards the goals of alleviating poverty and improving livelihoods.

Every region of the world is distinct and thus has something both to offer and gain through travel and tourism. Located in the heart of Shekhawati region of Rajasthan, Pilani is well known in India today for various top ranking educational institutions, CSIR Laboratory CEERI as well as the upcoming BrahMos Missile Assembly Project unit. The dancing peacocks, the parading camels, the old motifs and murals preserved in the village havelis, are all there to remind the tourist of the ancient past of Rajasthan. Pilani town has a vibrant market with an array of shops dealing with Rajasthani handicraft items, embroidery, paintings etc.

Tourist attractions in Pilani include the majestic white marble Sarawati Temple besides the Shiv Ganga Canal, the imposing palace look like Library building, one of the first and finest of its kind the Birla Science Museum, the Ram Durga temples, the Hanuman Temple on a nearby hillock, Panchavati a theme park displaying scenes from the great epic Ramayana with larger-than-life sized sculptures and “said to be older than the famous Ajmer one” the Narhad Pir Baba ki dargah near Dev Road which attracts thousands of devotees on Janmashtami day.

Addressing the students and faculty of Shridhar University on 27 September 2011, Prof BR Natarajan Pro Vice Chancellor shared details about the significance of the day.

On this occasion, Mrs Reena Kanwar a veteran of tourism industry with nearly three decades of rich experience presently General Manager Corporate Marketing, India Tourism Development Corporation - ITDC New Delhi sent a message to the students of Shridhar University as follows: The theme of this year’s World Tourism Day, “Tourism — Linking Cultures”, highlights the powerful role of tourism in building international understanding and mutual respect. It is widely recognized that tourism has the potential to foster mutual respect and understanding among people from different backgrounds and cultures, as travellers learn to appreciate the value of tolerance and respect for diversity. There is no better way to learn about a new culture than to experience it first-hand. Tourism offers a wonderful connecting thread between visitor and host community. It promotes dialogue and interaction. Such contact between people of different backgrounds is the very foundation for tolerance. In a world struggling for peaceful coexistence, tourism can build bridges and contribute to peace. Tourism’s contributions to development also advances the cause of global solidarity. At a time of profound global economic uncertainty, tourism’s ability to generate socio-economic opportunities and help reduce the gap between rich and poor is more important than ever. World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of tourism to global well-being. As we travel, let us engage with other cultures and celebrate human diversity. On this observance, let us recognize tourism as a force for a more tolerant, open and united world.

With students who have travelled from different parts of India enrolled at Shridhar University as well as in various other educational institutions, Pilani truly lives the 2011 World Tourism Day Theme “Linking Cultures” at its best. For more details about Shridhar University Pilani see www.shridharuniversity.ac.in

About Shridhar University: An initiative of the Sarvhit Trust, Shridhar University Pilani has been established under Section 2(f) of UGC Act 1956 incorporated by Government of Rajasthan vide Ordinance No. 3 of 2009 and the same ratified by the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly vide Act No. 4 of 2010 as The SHRIDHAR UNIVERSITY ACT BIGODNA, JHUNJHUNU. Further, Vide letter F.No 8-3/2010(CPP-I/PU) dated 31 May 2010, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has also notified Shridhar University under Section 2(f) of UGC Act 1956. ISO 9001:2008 certified Shridhar University has 11 Schools of Learning offering various Certificate, Diploma, Under Graduate, Post Graduate as well as Doctoral programmes. In order to prepare students for a global future, Shridhar University has actively taken up collaborations with various national & international institutions and already has signed MoU with top ranking Athens University of Economics and Business - AUEB, Greece. For more details see www.shridharuniversity.ac.in

Shridhar University
Public Relations Officer
Pilani - Chirawa Road
Pilani Rajasthan 333031 India
Phone 91-1596-510000
Fax 91-1596-510002
Email: info@shridharuniversity.ac.in
Website: www.shridharuniversity.ac.in

This release was published on openPR.