Safety, regulation key takeaways from Adventure Tourism Conclave 2015

The Adventure Tourism Conclave 2015 had experts from the outdoors community come under one roof to talk about issues pertaining to the industry in India

A focus on training and certifications, ensuring safety and and need for regulation were some of the topics discussed at the adventure tourism conclave 2015 in Mumbai, Maharashtra recently.

Organised by Fitrangi.com, a portal that provides online and offline platforms for adventure sports lovers, the conclave held in India's financial capital was a first-of-its-kind conference and exhibit, where over 500 people gathered to talk about challenges faced by the industry and offer a decisive roadmap for growth.

Ms. Kishore Gadre, general manager of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) said, "Government bodies should act as facilitators to further promote adventure tourism in the country."

At a panel discussion on the status and growth of adventure tourism in India, Akshay Kumar, president of Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) talked about the need of regulations and "strong policies with a legal backing." He also mentioned that the industry "lacked experienced staff and certifications" and that a "focus on training" is needed.

Mountaineer Harish Kapadia suggested trekking outfits to include "instructions in map-reading and roping" as a part of their activities.

Talking about the lack of appropriate standardization of equipment in the country, Bhushan Poshe, CEO, Allied Safety Equipment Pvt. Ltd. & Business Partner at Petzl-India said, "The idea of standardisation is to have a base level upon which we build better gear. In India, it is not properly implemented yet. Did you know that ropes have a lifespan of ten years, whether they are used or not?"

The conclave also had an exhibit of 26 stalls where gear brands and adventure camp sites showcased their products.

For Prajakta Ghode of Stepin Adventure, a Pune-based adventure gear store, the conclave was a great platform to showcase products and make more people aware of their brand. "We have an active marketing team of our own, but such exhibits are important to get the attention of a larger audience. We wish for more such events to happen."

The event was backed by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), with associate partner Adventure Plus. The session partners for the event were Foot Clinic and CrazyIskydive.  Adventure Tour Operators of Maharashtra (ATOM)  and Rust-Oleuym Never Wet joined as knowledge partner and gift partner respectively.

ATOAI (Adventure Tour Operators Association of India), Paragliding Association of India, Allied Petzl and The Outdoor Journal were media and supporting partners of the conclave this year.

“People thanked us for starting this initiative because the industry needed this platform very badly. They offered their support to continue this initiative in every way possible. This clearly defines the success of Adventure Tourism Conclave 2015," said Yunus Dange of Fitrangi.com and organiser of the event.