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The
World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) India Initiative
is all geared up to find a permanent solution to tackle any
uncalled-for event hampering the growth of tourism. Hence,
the Council will be initiating a move to set up a crisis management
committee. Commenting on the initiative, Yogesh Chandra, general
secretary, WTTC, revealed that, “Stakeholders in the
industry will interact with a cross-section of people who
yield power on various issues plaguing the industry. Most
importantly, we will discuss the issue of Crisis Management,
as we all have been witnesses to the 9/11 catastrophe affecting
the entire world and terrorist activities that is common in
India. Therefore, we need to take up the issue as to how a
country could be prepared to handle any given situation. We
will contemplate how private and public partnership can be
made effective and we will thrust on liberalising the civil
aviation policy.”
The Council is hopeful that the forthcoming Budget will have
a pleasant surprise for the tourism sector in terms of an
increased Budget outlay. The five-point agenda that was slated
for WTTC’s second meeting in Goa would include:
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To set-up a cabinet committee on tourism
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Increase the plan outlay for the sector
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To have the visa on arrival
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Rationalisation and uniformity of taxes
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Marketing of the brand called India
Of the five, according to Chandra, quite a bit has been achieved.
“With respect to achievements, most importantly, we have
been able to create awareness about the potential and issues
of the tourism industry and we have been successful in communicating
it to the right people. However, we have seen lot of improvement
as far as the civil aviation is concerned. There have been
bilateral with many new countries. Charter flights from various
new destinations have been introduced. As all authorities
have agreed to it, therefore the privatisation of airports
is also in the process. National carriers are improving their
fleet of aircraft. But a lot will be cleared once the Budget
is allocated.”
The council is also very optimistic that the new Budget will
offer some relief as far as taxation is concerned as was recommended
by the Council during the Retreat held at Agra in August,
last year. With regards to setting up the cabinet committee
on tourism, Chandra disclosed that, “The committee has
already been formed and is being headed by tourism minister,
Jagmohan. The committee is also forwarding industry issues
to the respective ministries.”
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