The UIAA Safety Label is truly global with equipment accredited on all continents. However, different parts of the world face specific challenges, and in some areas the interest in, and need for, the UIAA Safety Label is on the rise—notably in Asia where the UIAA logo is becoming an important symbol for quality in the manufacturing process of mountaineering and climbing gear. In the first of a series of talks at major conferences across Asia, Amit Chowdhury (IMF, India), newly-elected UIAA Safety Commission President, introduced the topic ‘Safety in adventure activities and the role of the UIAA’ at one of India’s foremost industry conferences, the National Seminar on Unveiling Opportunities in Adventure Tourism held on 28 November 2017 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Chowdhury introduced the UIAA Safety Label as a globally-recognised logo in the climbing and mountaineering world, the current 23 UIAA Safety Standards and the role of the UIAA Safety Commission and its relationship with international climbing equipment manufacturers. “The audience was particularly happy to note that UIAA was taking an active interest in the Asian market and it was a general opinion that there is an opportunity in the manufacturing of certified safety gear for use by the growing adventure tourism industry,” explains Chowdhury. “Based on my presentation, the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India made a strong appeal to the industry for use of equipment with the UIAA Safety Label.”
The event was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organization, playing a proactive role in India’s development process. Founded in 1895, India’s premier business association has over 8,500 members, from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 200,000 enterprises from around 250 national and regional sectoral industry bodies.
