State Ministers Conference Puts Tourism On ‘Front Burner’

Savio Rodrigues - New Delhi

Amitabh Kant

Despite the Centre meting out step-motherly treatment to the hospitality and tourism sector in Union Budget 2005-06; tourism is very much on the priority list of Indian states. This was evident in the recently held conference of state tourism ministers in the Capital. As many as nine resolutions pertaining to improving tourism were passed at the conference by the state tourism ministries (STMs) along with the Union ministry of tourism (MoT). Making India a leading tourism destination on the international circuit was one of the most important resolutions passed. Commenting on the resolutions, Amitabh Kant, joint secretary, MoT, stated, "In order to make India a tourist destination of international standard, each department involved needs to play its role effectively and in concurrence with the macro plans. So while the MoT and STMs work towards marketing and promoting the country and their respective states, it is also imperative to control basic tourism growth roadblocks such as infrastructure, rationality and uniformity of taxes and quality manpower."

Some of the resolutions passed at the conference were:

• States would work towards making tourism a priority sector in the States' planning process with enhanced financial outlays.
• States would endeavour to develop quality manpower and the 'Athithi Devo Bhavah' would be taken forward for quality manpower development.
• States would strive towards developing world class infrastructure at tourism sites including improvement of urban infrastructure and ensuring better connectivity to major tourist destinations.
• States would work towards streamlining their land policies by re-zoning and redefining land use to facilitate development of adequate hotel rooms in metro cities and at tourism sites.
• Each state will strive to have one or more airport to be declared and equipped as an international airport allowing scheduled foreign airlines to land.
• States have agreed to work on the rationalisation and uniformity of taxes so as to make their destinations competitive.
• States would work towards reduction/removal of state sales tax on aviation turbine fuel in order to make the domestic airfare competitive for boosting domestic tourism.
• States would take up the issue of operation and maintenance of tourist infrastructure through partnerships with the private sector.
• States would make all tourist sites 'Plastic Free' and also take necessary steps to develop the area in and around the important monuments 'Free From Vehicular Traffic' and give due regard to the sustainability of the environment.