As India formally assumed the G20 presidency on Thursday, batches of cab/coach and taxi drivers are being imparted behavioural and soft skill training with a component of foreign language with an aim to facilitate the foreign delegation who will be flying to India to attend the prestigious events to be held spanning an year in 55 locations across the country.
In this connection, the first batch of around 300 drivers who had been trained by India Tourism Development Corporation were handed over the certificates and badges by G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Tourism, at a ceremony held here recently.
The training is being imparted by ITDC’s Ashok Institute of Hospitality and Tourism Management under the Tourism Awareness Programme (TAP) programme of CBSP Scheme for the taxi, cab, and coach drivers since June 2022 offering them behavioural and soft skill training with a component of foreign language. More batches are on the anvil, said an official.
Congratulating the participants at the event, Reddy said, “India espouses the values of Vasudhaev Kutumbakam and Atithi Devo Bhava.
It is our responsibility as frontline service providers to convey this spirit and warmth of Indian culture in our interactions with all visitors.
“This is whether they are visiting India for tourism, to experience our culture, to avail medical facilities, or to attend conferences, and especially to all G-20 delegates. This training is one among the many initiatives of the Union Tourism Ministry which is working towards comprehensive development of the tourism sector.” He further urged the drivers to take this training forward by practising the foreign languages in their interaction with foreigners and also show them the highest levels of courtesy and care.
During the launch of the TAP programme under the “Capacity Building for Service Provider (CBSP) Scheme” in June 2022, Dr Sambit Mitra, Chairman, ITDC had said, “Over the last 2 years, the tourism industry has witnessed a tidal shift in its growth, and with the world gradually opening up, we need to take crucial steps towards redefining the tourist services. With this program, we aim to enhance the learnings of “saarthis” and to provide them with the right skill set to effectively and efficiently present themselves and service the tourists exploring Incredible India”.
G Kamala Vardhana Rao, Managing Director, ITDC added, “As we strengthen our focus towards redefining the tourism segment, it is vital to recognize the efforts and contributions of important segments such as Drivers of Tourists’ transport.”
Ritu Jain, an inbound tour operator and director of Coterie Tours Pvt Limited, welcomed the move, pointing out that good training and capacity building of the taxi/cab drivers not only ensure safety of the tourists but also enhance the image of India as Incredible India. Such training should be regularly held, she suggested.
The training programme has been designed very professionally and is flexible in nature, keeping in mind the daily wage/earning pattern of the drivers. Spread across 16 hours, it focuses on imparting knowledge about behavioural and soft skills, personal hygiene and grooming, basic acquaintance of foreign languages, first -aid administering, etc. enabling the drivers to service the tourists, said the official.