In my view, the budget is very promising for our sector this year. Tourism has in some way been given the spotlight that was required for a long time. The focus on ‘Bharat Dekho’ is commendable as this is an initiative that will push Indians to explore India and see their own country like never before.
However, there are several areas, especially in the hospitality industry that have been missed. There are no loans for long terms as well as no industry status which has been our request for years.
Though, tourism has been recognised as one of the drivers for the economy, yet, the suggested 50 additional airports will certainly help the industry but will take another 3-5 years to be built. The same can be said for the 50 tourist destinations that will be selected. This will take a very long-time, maybe even five to 10 years before completion.
In my view, more prominence has to be given to our industry. There should be more focus on the connectivity of airports, especially from the city centres by road or metro. Tourist places should basically have clean and hygienic toilets, which should be permitted especially where the archaeological departments do not permit it. Finally, instead of food stalls at tourist destinations, there should be proper food courts and parking facilities.
