Abhishek Sonthalia, Managing Director of Gaura Travel, travelled to Canberra on March 27th, 2023, to attend the IABCA Parliamentary Winner Roundtable. The roundtable’s objective was to address important issues relevant to bilateral (Australia and India) relationships in business and investment. Gaura Travel was honoured to be invited due to being the recipient of the coveted ‘Highly Commended Award’ at IABCA 2023, which was held in Delhi, India in February.
Dr Andrew Charlton MP, Federal Member for Parramatta and Head of the Federal Parliamentary Friends of India, hosted the roundtable, which was attended by His Excellency Manpreet Vohra, High Commissioner of India to Australia. The participation of such notable individuals heightened the significance of the discussion, which gave a unique opportunity for leaders to exchange ideas and create cross-border collaborations.
Abhishek Sonthalia was delighted to be a part of the roundtable and regarded it as a wonderful opportunity to discuss Gaura Travel’s vision and dedication to providing amazing Visiting Family and Friends (VFR) travel experiences to its consumers. He was also keen to learn from the experiences of other business executives and to investigate new methods to improve the company’s offerings. Overall, Abhishek found the IABCA Parliamentary Winner Roundtable to be a wonderful experience, and he looks forward more to participation in such forums in the future.
What is IABCA?
The India Australia Business & Community Alliance (IABCA) was founded in 2014 as a platform to strengthen and contribute to the growth of the India-Australia relationship via the cultivation of people-to-people connections. It has developed to become the biggest Alliance promoting awareness and mutual understanding between Australian and Indian institutions and peoples.
IABCA Parliamentary Winner Roundtable at Canberra Parliament
The IABCA Parliamentary Winner Roundtable is an annual initiative that provides an opportunity for IABCA Stakeholders and Winner Alumni to participate in high-level roundtable discussions that can influence policies and drive major economic agendas for both nations.
This roundtable discussion offers a unique opportunity for stakeholders to share their experiences, insights, and expertise and collaborate on key issues that affect the business and community sectors of both nations. By fostering such partnerships and collaborations, IABCA aims to contribute to the growth and development of the India-Australia relationship and promote mutually beneficial opportunities that can enhance the livelihoods and experiences of people in both countries.
The event had a total of 35 attendees, each of whom being industry professionals whose work centers around the dynamic relationship between Australia and India. The attendees brought diverse perspectives and expertise to the gathering, making for a rich and informative exchange of ideas.
The discussion pointers are as follows:
- Bi-Lateral Partnerships that explore and innovate – Shared learnings.
- The Soft Power Approach across raising Australia’s “India literacy” and enhancing “Australia literacy” – Next Steps
- Role that IABCA and its Alliance partners play in influencing policy and driving major economic agendas for our two nations.
Gaura Travel is committed to fostering stronger bilateral relationships between two nations by making significant contributions in our expertise, which is the Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) market. We hope to continue our work in bridging the gap between Australia and India and are eternally grateful to have had this opportunity to speak with like-minded professionals and extend our professional network even further.
