Press Release
The state of Rajasthan offers abundant opportunities in the realm of weddings. With its vibrant wedding industry, there are a plethora of job opportunities, spanning from renowned hotels and caterers to local flower vendors and folk musicians, thereby catalyzing employment growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also emphasized on having destination weddings in India. This was stated by President, FHTR & HRAR, Kuldeep Singh Chandela at a talk on ‘Weddings in India – Opportunities for Rajasthan’ organized by the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR) organized at Hotel ITC Rajputana.
The panelists who participated in the session included Area Director of Rajasthan and General Manager, Rambagh Palace, Ashok S Rathore, General Manager, Novotel Jaipur Convention Center, Manuj Ralhan, General Manager, Hotel Hilton, Rahul Bhagat, Owner & Founder, Swishin Events, Mahavir Pratap Sharma and Event Guru & Founder, Nexzen Events, Arshad Hussain.
The Area Director of Rajasthan and General Manager of Rambagh Palace, Ashok S Rathore highlighted the substantial economic impact of weddings in India, noting the contemporary trend of integrating them with vacation experiences. He emphasized that 60% of weddings in Rajasthan occur during the winter months of November and December, indicating the necessity of diversifying throughout the year. Rathore proposed the development of lesser-known destinations for weddings, addressing challenges like connectivity and inventory to achieve a more balanced utilization of resources.
Underlining Rajasthan’s unique selling proposition (USP) as a premier wedding destination, Owner & Founder, Swishin Events, Mahavir Pratap Sharma emphasized the diverse array of attractions it offers, ranging from majestic palaces and historic forts to rich cultural performances and exquisite cuisine. He stressed the interconnectedness of various tourism-related sectors, asserting that growth must be pursued collectively and steadily to maximize the potential of Rajasthan’s tourism industry.
General Manager, Novotel Jaipur Convention Center, Manuj Ralhan noted a shift in wedding dynamics, highlighting how modern brides and grooms actively contribute to wedding expenditures, thereby increasing the propensity to spend. He emphasized the importance of targeting tier 2 and tier 3 cities in Rajasthan as potential venues for destination weddings. Citing numbers, he said that as many as 60 Lakh weddings took place in Rajasthan in year 2022-23, and that it was the fourth largest industry in the country with an impressive growth rate of 6%.
General Manager, Hotel Hilton, Rahul Bhagat emphasized that authenticity is the biggest attraction of Rajasthan. He underlined the significance of the traditional ‘manuhaar’ practice to elaborate this aspect.
Event Guru & Founder, Nexzen Events, Arshad Hussain emphasized the pivotal role event managers play in marketing Rajasthan as a premier destination, thus contributing significantly to the development and promotion of the brand “Rajasthan”.
The session was followed by an interactive Question and Answer session. Earlier, Secretary General, FHTR, Virendra Singh Shekhawat welcomed the guests and the General Manager of ITC Rajputana, Deependra Rana proposed the vote of thanks.
Also present on the occasion, Sr Vice President, FHTR, Surendra Singh Shahpura; Treasurer, FHTR, Rishipal Singh; President, Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators (RATO), Mahendra Singh and Secretary, RATO, Mohan Singh.