B'luru Startup Immersion India Among 25 Winners of UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition

Immersion India is one among the 25 winners chosen from across 138 countries

Immersion India Team

Bangalore, February 20, 2021: Immersion India, a Bengaluru based startup that curates study-centric, experiential learning programs in urban and rural India, was chosen as one among the 25 winners of UNWTO SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) Global Startup Competition. The competition was launched to identify innovators whose ideas can advance tourism’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

Immersion India was chosen as the winner under the category of SDG4 of ensuring quality education and promoting lifelong opportunities for all. Immersion India is the only Indian startup among the 25 winners.

Founded by Anand Joseph and Vineeth Thomas, Immersion India was born out of the need to encourage and promote India as an extensive learning lab. Since its inception in June of 2017, the startup has enabled academicians, students and corporate executives to experience Rural and Urban India in its true sense. Facilitating these experiences in a safe, trustworthy and conducive learning environment is what drives Immersion India. International travel may have come to a standstill for now, but learning has continued. To adapt to the new normal, Immersion India has curated a number of virtual learning programs designed to introduce students to the many resources and learning opportunities that India has to offer. Immersion India’s virtual programs offer an array of India-specific themes and case studies, designed to simulate a real-time learning experience.

The UNWTO SDGs Global Startup Competition, which was supported by the United Nations Innovation Network, attracted 10,000 initial proposals. From these, the jury chose 25 winners highlighting the array of tourism talent in every global region and its widespread ability to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Shortlisted finalists were judged according to criteria which included the potential of the startups to contribute to a specific Goal, their ability to be scaled-up and the maturity of both the product and the team behind it. The 25 winning startups, selected by a jury made up of leaders from across the tourism sector, offer distinct solutions for advancing the SDGs.

Commenting on the recognition, Anand Joseph, Founder and Partner, Immersion India, said “We are excited to be recognised for promoting sustainable immersive learning experiences in India for the global learning community. We started Immersion India to create experiential learning and unique travel experiences that go beyond textbooks and classroom sessions. Our aim was to give students and professionals an opportunity to have a first hand understanding of what one can learn in a culturally-diverse developing nation like India. This win strengthens our commitment towards creating high impact experiences that combine learning and travel"

The winning startups will be given expert support and backing to develop further, including guided mentorship programmes from Amadeus, Google, IE University and FarCo, and tailored mentorship sessions from Mastercard and ClarkeModet.

For more details visit: https://www.unwto.org/news/transforming-tourism-unwto-global-startup-competition-winners-announced

https://www.unwto.org/news/global-talent-on-display-as-sdgs-tourism-startup-competition-finalists-announced


About Immersion India

Immersion India guides students, corporate executives, faculty & professionals on study-centric, experiential learning programs in urban and rural India.Immersion India’s strength is in its ability to be a niche provider with a focus on learning objectives and add the element of travel and cultural immersion to blend with the learning.

Website: https://immersionindia.com/

V Resorts bags the prestigious UNWTO Award for Sustainable Tourism

V Resorts, a boutique Indian leisure travel & hospitality brand, bagged the prestigious World Tourism Award (UNWTO) 2018-19 held at St Petersburg, Russia, recently. V Resorts has been felicitated by the coveted award in the Enterprises category, for its “Community Impact by V Resorts”, an initiative of the brand under the aegis of Bliss Inns Ltd India.

 

V Resorts competed with global enterprises from Canada, Colombia, India, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the Philippines. The list of finalists for the 2019 UNWTO Awards ranged from community-based tourism development and innovation-driven nature conservation to heritage tourism and promotion of accessible tourism. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Awards recognize inspirational projects that make an invaluable contribution towards advancing sustainable tourism.

 

Elated on the felicitation, Ms. Aditi Balbir, Founder and CEO, V Resorts said, “I would like to thank UNWTO for this prestigious award and for recognizing our efforts for community friendly initiates at V Resorts. We have been identified for contributing to advancement of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a proud moment for an Indian company in the Tourism sector. With our properties employing 90% local staff, ensuring 100% local procurement, and assimilating local culture, we have been continuously working towards achieving the 12 goals identified by UNWTO and UNEP for the development of circular and inclusive economies.We want to create inroads for local community upliftment and revamp tourism globally through our asset light and sustainable business model.”

[caption id="attachment_135452" align="aligncenter" width="778"] Aditi balbir receives the award[/caption]

Ms. Balbir further added, “Also, I would like to convey my sincere thanks and gratitude to our entire V resorts family, our esteemed customers, my family and friends without whom it would not possible to receive this prestigious award.”

For the 15th UNWTO Awards, a total of 190 applications from 71 countries were received in the three categories - Public Policy and Governance, Enterprises, and Non-Governmental Organizations.

About V Resorts

With over 120 resorts spread across 22 Indian states, V Resorts is a micro-tourism focused hospitality management company, providing boutique stays in the leisure travel space. With resorts around offbeat and rural destinations of India, the company is deeply committed to working with local communities, growing micro-economies, and providing its guests rich and diverse experiences seeped in the local culture.

With all properties employing 90% local staff, ensuring 100% local procurement, and also assimilating local culture, the company brings empowerment to local communities, especially women, thus, also facilitating the development of circular and inclusive economies.

About UNWTO

TheWorld Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

UNWTO encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development worldwide.

UNWTO generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.