Improvements will bring in visitors, says tourism sector

The tourism sector was in glee on Saturday, as Finance Minster Minister Arun Jaitley earmarked a set of heritage sites to be improved in the country.

Presenting the Union Budget 2015-16 in Parliament on Saturday, Jaitley said the government would focus on developing a few heritage sites, and fostering better infrastructural development and facilities.

India is home to over 25 Unesco World Heritage Sites, known for their architectural prowess or natural splendour. Lakhs of tourists visit these sites, which are dogged by massive lack of facilities.

In order to boost the prospects of developing these areas, Jaitley announced in the Budget landscaping restoration, signage and interpretation centres, parking, access for the differently-abled, amenities for visitors including security and toilets, illumination and plans for benefiting communities around them.

“I propose to provide resources to start work along these lines for the following heritage sites: Churches and convents of old Goa, Hampi (Karnataka), Elephanta (Maharashtra), Kumbhalgarh and other hill forts (Rajasthan), Rani ki Vav in Patan (Gujarat), Leh Palace in Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir), Varanasi (UP), Jallianwala bagh in Amritsar (Punjab) and Qutub Shahi Tombs in Hyderabad (Telangana),” Jaitley told Parliament.

Kuoni India Managing Director Rajeev Wagle said: “Tourism is directly linked to GDP (gross domestic product). Developing the sites would mean more employment and overall economic development. Domestic tourism will also be encourages (from 65 lakh travellers now to over 1.5 crore by 2020).”

“Beyond the Budget, work must be towards incentivising investors in tourism infrastructure, cutting red tape and faster tourism project clearances,” he said.
Thomas Cook (India) Managing Director Madhavan Menon said: “Focus on developing World Heritage Sites is of huge value, given that many are in a bad shape and received scant attention in the past. In addition to this, the investment of Rs 2 lakh crore towards sanitation is critical for Incredible India’s overall image. The rail and road infra thrust will also aid domestic and inbound tourism.”

Hari Nair, Founder and CEO of HolidayIQ.com, echoed similar sentiments. “The tourism sector is a beneficiary of improvements across multiple areas. The focus of Budget 2015 on areas such as infrastructure, skill development and rural development has the potential of providing a big tailwind to Indian tourism. In addition, the announcement relating to upgrade of certain World Heritage Sites signals continued focus on tourism.

“However, the question is, does the Indian tourism industry have the intrinsic capability to identify and quickly act on the opportunities thrown up by Budget 2015? The opportunities are certainly there,” he said.

According to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), tourism and hospitality is among the top 10 sectors in India to attract the highest foreign direct investment (FDI).

“In the April 2000-November 2014 period, the tourism and hospitality sector attracted around $7,661.6 million FDI,” it said.