Ahmedabad has a rich and impressive heritage, which could become a shot in the arm for its tourism industry. One of the most important factors in this regard is that the city’s heritage is an asset and not a liability, said Michel Sabatier, secretary-general of the EuroIndia Centre.
“Our city, La Rochelle, has a population of only 1.2 lakh, but the number of tourists per year is more than three million. This is because we not only conserve our heritage, but also display it well,” Sabatier said. If the 12,000 havelis of Ahmedabad are restored, they could be very helpful in promoting heritage tourism and its allied businesses like trade, craft, shopping etc, he said. Just like Ahmedabad, the French city La Rochelle has a heritage walkway that allows tourists to explore the heritage beauty of the city.
An exhibition showcasing the heritage richness of Ahmedabad will be organised at Vallodolid in Spain this October. This exhibition will be part of the EuroIndia Summit to be held there. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has already sent a replica of a heritage haveli of the city, which will be a permanent symbol of Ahmedabad’s heritage at Vallodolid, said Debashish Nayak, advisor of the heritage programme of the AMC.
Nayak said that the exhibition will showcase the history of Ahmedabad as well as its architectural and urban diversity, along with the traditional architecture of the Pols as well as the Walled City revitalisation programme.
The aim of the summit is to broaden European involvement in a dialogue and cooperation with India at local levels, notably in the areas of knowledge, investments, tourism and
urban excellence, and to ensure wide exposure for most progressive Indian cities and states looking for European partners, he said.
According to Sabatier, the summit will help to build on the constructive Euro-Indian exchange of views and experiences on critical issues relating to urban legacy and heritage conservation.
Along with members of the AMC, trade and industry unions will also participate in the summit. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is a partner in organising the fora in India, while the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) will also participate in the summit.
