As Goa celebrates World Tourism Day, Forum for Innovation, Incubation, Research and Entrepreneurship (FiiRE) announces different programs to create a vibrant platform to help build the ‘TourismTech’ ecosystem in Goa
As we herald World Tourism Day on 27th Sept this year, tourism remains one of the world’s largest industries and the economies of many countries are driven by their tourism sector. It is also a wide-ranging industry, including hospitality, transportation, travel (e.g., tour operators, travel agents, tourist information centres) and attractions and entertainment like heritage sites and theme, national, and wildlife parks. In recent years, tourism has expanded even further to include sectors that take into consideration the changing demands of travellers – such as personalisation of experiences, as well as global prerogatives on sustainability, mobility, etc; Hence, the rise of eco tourism and rural tourism.
Needless to say, many tourism businesses have struggled to keep pace with changing consumer preferences post pandemic. In particular, many tourism SMEs were not able to integrate new digital capabilities in the way that larger businesses have, mainly due to low levels of digitisation.
As tourism-related businesses reopen, and recalibrate their offerings, managing their recovery will be important. For governments as well as organisations that promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability; such as United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Playing a key role in this revival will be startups with TourismTech Solutions. Technology has been a key driver of various other sectors, helping propel reach and impact. Now, as tourism opens its doors wider than ever, post pandemic, technological innovations will again play a role in boosting the industry.
Tourism has the potential to promote faster, more sustainable and more inclusive growth, while at the same time advocating for cleaner, greener travel practises.
Forum for Innovation, Incubation, Research and Entrepreneurship (FiiRE), with its vision to make Goa the most preferred Tourism Tech startup destination by 2030, recognises tourism’s critical role in boosting the economy through rethinking, re-planning and reviving tourism. Having launched the Goa tourism accelerator program in 2021 to identify and incubate startups with solutions to the tourism sector, FiiRE Goa has further empowered itself with collaborations with organisations and industry experts that will benefit TourismTech entrepreneurs.
Tourism Innovation Global Summit 2022 and FiiRE
FiiRE Goa will be one of the leading organisations in TourismTech, who will be participating in the Tourism Innovation Global Summit with a keynote speech, outlining its strategy to accelerate startups that use technology to improve the tourism industry for travellers, suppliers and the environment. This agreement demonstrates FiiRE Goa’s commitment to the main objectives of the forum, which is focused on the digital transformation of tourism companies, accelerating their sustainable goals and promoting a more inclusive sector. This partnership will help weave synergies and boost innovation in tourism, to help the world rethink, and reactivate the tourism sector globally.
The Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS) 2022 and FiiRE entered into a partnership this September, where FiiRE will define its plan to accelerate startups and leverage technology to enhance the industry for customers, agents, and the environment. FiiRE’s partnership with TIS will encourage connections and foster innovation in the travel industry globally. With The Tourism Innovation Summit’s mission to transform the tourism sector through innovation, technology and sustainability, FiiRE aims to be an ecosystem enabler, guiding companies on how to transform their businesses and become competitive in the tourism space.
FiiRE has the distinction of many more partnerships that hold immense promise.
Big Blue Road India (BBRi), a specialist in Travel and Tourism and Technology is an organisation that provides sharp business, program and portfolio strategies in the tourism sector. Their recent global strategic partnership with FiiRE will combine FiiRE’s rich experience with start-up incubation and BBRi’s industry leading consulting services in the field of tourism, tourism analytics and tourism technology.
Projects that can transform the tourism sector through technology and sustainability will be the need of the hour as global tourism starts getting back on its feet. At FiiRE, CleanTech, Waste Management, and Sustainable tourism are all aspects that they believe which will bring about transformation in the way a traveler’s experience gets enhanced.
FiiRE’s role in encouraging entrepreneurship in TourismTech extends to providing them access to corporates, government bodies, technology, mentorship and investments. By doing so, they aim to encourage TourismTech solutions with the long-term vision of positively impacting the way travellers experience vacation destinations. Through various programs initiated at FiiRE, startups can take advantage of accelerating programs to help them boost their startup.
On the occasion of the upcoming World Tourism Day, FiiRE announced a contest for students, encouraging them to rethink tourism in Goa, and represent it through a medium that they understand best – Instagram. This contest is a visual depiction of what it means to build a clean, green Goa for ourselves and visitors to our state.
FiiRE Goa’s objective with these programs is to create a vibrant platform to help build the TourismTech ecosystem in Goa.
As we approach, World Tourism Day 2022, the focus remains on recognising the fact that tourism is a crucial pillar of economic development in Goa and supporting a community of tech innovations will help us move ahead as we together, rethink tourism
