New Delhi (India), Apr 11: The 5th Global Travel and Tourism Summit organised by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) was held at New Delhi from 8th to 10th Apr 2005. The summit, which had 'Realising the Potential' as the theme, brought together leaders in the Travel & Tourism industry, senior government officials and the media, to exchange experiences, discuss strategies and ideas on how best to tackle problems and challenges that face the industry in today’s world. The summit was inaugurated by The President of India and hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
The conference included panel discussions, debates and keynote presentations that focused on ways in which businesses, local communities, regions and countries could unlock the full social and economic potential of the travel & tourism industry.
While voicing his viewpoints, VK Mathews, CMD-IBS Group, who attended the summit touched upon the need for airport authorities to enhance airport infrastructure and upgrade air traffic control technology and facilities in order to support the increase in air traffic as well as the exponential growth in volumes of air passengers. According to him, rising income levels, increased international trade and an increasing preference for air travel, specially due to the advent of low-cost-carriers that allow private airlines to fly to foreign destinations, would lead to dramatic increases in aircraft and passenger traffic.