HAI appeals to vote, says opportune time to outline national priorities

Jammu Tawi: As India goes to the mode of celebration of great dance of democracy, the nation looks at the vision both short term and long term. The Hotel Association of India (HAI) considers that it is an opportune time to outline the national priorities by all participants of India's polity and therefore a time to restate the key importance of tourism and hospitality in any future development vision for the country.KB Kachru, the newly elected President of HAI puts the perspective clearly, “The time has come for India” he says, “to achieve its true development potential and to become the third largest country in the world by GDP. It is now recognized globally that tourism and hospitality can play a very pivotal role in driving such growth. The Vision 2047 report by HAI indicates that contribution of hospitality sector could reach US $1trillion by 2047”.Elaborating further, HAI Secretary General Bezbaruah said, “it would be pertinent and in national interest that the two focus issues—infrastructure status at the Centre and industry status in the states find place in the government's agenda.” The vision of the government to reach US $3trillion tourism economy and 100million visitors requires corresponding creation of accommodation and destination development.“While such incentives are given to other industries, if extended to this sector they would have a multiplier effect in investment thereby creating corresponding employment opportunities which will be spread over all corners of the country pushing inclusive growth. No development strategy of the country can ignore such pivotal role of the sector or can ignore only at the risk of compromising its vision 47”, Bezbaruah said.