We invite the world to visit us — to explore and experience Incredible India — without first ensuring adequate hospitality for those who take our invitation seriously.
It's a pity, really, that despite the phenomenal success of the tourism ministry's Incredible India campaign abroad, and the unprecedented interest it has kindled in potential holidaymakers to plan their next vacation in India, very little effort has gone towards building adequate infrastructure.
Unsurprisingly, Indian hotel rates are the highest in the region. Bangkok's $100-a-day top-end hotel room attracts more clients than Delhi's $300- or Bangalore's $500-a-day rooms.
It's the same with airfares. It is cheaper to fly to Bangkok and back than to take a trip from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram. Culprit Number One is the luxury tax, a leftover of the old economy that applauded frugality and punished any show of comfort.
Star-rated hotels and air travel were perceived as luxury ser-vices and had swingeing taxes slapped on them. The other problem with hotels in India is that the demand for accommodation is far outstripping availability — for it is not only foreign tourists who seek bookings, but also the upward-mobile domestic traveller.
Earlier, ITDC and state-run tourist accommodation outfits including low-priced ones — however badly run — catered to inbound and local demands. With the market growing, and aspiration levels soaring, we need to expand infrastructure correspondingly.
First, abolish the luxury tax. Tourism has a multiplier effect — every rupee invested brings in high returns and increased
employment. India has been promoting MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences/conventions and exhibitions) tourism without corresponding effort to set up adequate infrastructure to cater to MICE traffic.
Malaysia, China and Singapore created the infrastructure first and then went in for aggressive promotion. How much business have we lost due to our inability to meet international demand for convention facilities? Or even because of shortage of rooms for the business traveller?
Since official India is content to only campaign, the tourism industry should come up with innovative solutions. By promoting the bed and breakfast (B&B) concept first in the countryside and then in cities, the UK overcame hotel rooms shortage.
B&B promotion would give neglected destinations like Khajuraho development options with their own multiplier effects. The staff-guest ratio in Indian top-end hotels is among the highest in the world.
Five-starred hotels could diversify and create low-cost ancillary hotels, much like no-frills airlines. B&B establishments can be promoted and regulated by the industry itself to ensure quality and safety.
Tourism is not a luxurious indulgence. As the largest employment generator, tourism has huge potential, economic and social. Let's not reduce Incredible India to an empty slogan.
It's a pity, really, that despite the phenomenal success of the tourism ministry's Incredible India campaign abroad, and the unprecedented interest it has kindled in potential holidaymakers to plan their next vacation in India, very little effort has gone towards building adequate infrastructure.
Unsurprisingly, Indian hotel rates are the highest in the region. Bangkok's $100-a-day top-end hotel room attracts more clients than Delhi's $300- or Bangalore's $500-a-day rooms.
It's the same with airfares. It is cheaper to fly to Bangkok and back than to take a trip from Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram. Culprit Number One is the luxury tax, a leftover of the old economy that applauded frugality and punished any show of comfort.
Star-rated hotels and air travel were perceived as luxury ser-vices and had swingeing taxes slapped on them. The other problem with hotels in India is that the demand for accommodation is far outstripping availability — for it is not only foreign tourists who seek bookings, but also the upward-mobile domestic traveller.
Earlier, ITDC and state-run tourist accommodation outfits including low-priced ones — however badly run — catered to inbound and local demands. With the market growing, and aspiration levels soaring, we need to expand infrastructure correspondingly.
First, abolish the luxury tax. Tourism has a multiplier effect — every rupee invested brings in high returns and increased
employment. India has been promoting MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences/conventions and exhibitions) tourism without corresponding effort to set up adequate infrastructure to cater to MICE traffic.
Malaysia, China and Singapore created the infrastructure first and then went in for aggressive promotion. How much business have we lost due to our inability to meet international demand for convention facilities? Or even because of shortage of rooms for the business traveller?
Since official India is content to only campaign, the tourism industry should come up with innovative solutions. By promoting the bed and breakfast (B&B) concept first in the countryside and then in cities, the UK overcame hotel rooms shortage.
B&B promotion would give neglected destinations like Khajuraho development options with their own multiplier effects. The staff-guest ratio in Indian top-end hotels is among the highest in the world.
Five-starred hotels could diversify and create low-cost ancillary hotels, much like no-frills airlines. B&B establishments can be promoted and regulated by the industry itself to ensure quality and safety.
Tourism is not a luxurious indulgence. As the largest employment generator, tourism has huge potential, economic and social. Let's not reduce Incredible India to an empty slogan.