Page 147 - Hospitality Horizon - February-March 2021
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TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE
boost tourism in the country as part of the
economic revival post-Covid 19. Many of the
recommendations would make the working of
tourism easier and help the economy grow.
One of the recommendations is for a high-
powered National Tourism Council, with the
Prime Minister as chairman and the Union
Tourism Minister as co-chairman, and chief
ministers of the states as well as Union Cabinet
ministers as members. The argument behind
the proposal is that tourism spans several
ministries, and there is need for a nodal body
which could help streamline policies and
processes. There is little doubt that there is
need for an apex body like the National
Tourism Council to coordinate things and give
due importance to the tourism sector because
it can push India into the high growth economy
which it has done for so many countries, from
Iceland to Thailand.
The other suggestion of FAITH is more
meaningful which is creating a Rs2,000-crore
corpus for a National & Cultural Heritage
Restoration Fund which would keep the
natural tourism habitat like white water
river rafting, desert safaris, mountaineering
in good conditions through proper ecological
guidelines, and the same kind of preservative
actions for historical sites like forts and
museums, temples and historic caves with
paintings.
The other interesting proposal is income
tax exemption for domestic tourists up to
the investments are much too modest. Rs 1.5 lakh. It is an absolutely a good idea,
There is also the other major requirement. which will encourage more people to travel
Tourism can flourish only when the rest of the inside the country.
economy is doing well, there are enough well- While there is much that governments need
paying jobs, and enough people have enough to do to boost tourism in the country, there is
money to spend on travel. It is based on increased need for the tourism industry to create
earnings through tourism that businesses will protocols and standards of its own to upscale
invest on hotels, restaurants and airline the quality factor. The reason that tourists,
connectivity, and governments will spend on road both domestic and foreign, would look for is
and train connectivity to enable people to travel to quality service and reliability. Right now,
the tourist destinations. Whenever economies get quality service is available mostly in the luxury
into trouble, tourism crashes. segment of tourism. But, moving forward, the
larger number of tourists who belong to the
PROPOSALS BY FAITH medium and small budget segment too would
In the run-up to Union Budget 2020-21, the like certain minimal service standards
industry body, Federation of Associations in especially from small restaurants and the small
Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) have lodges that dot holiday destinations with their
made recommendations to the government to drabness writ large on their premises.
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hospitality horizon FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021
