Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has welcomed the appointment of Mr. Shripad Naik as the new Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge), besides congratulating the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi for the massive success at the elections.

 Following the change in the government, the hospitality industry hopes for major pro-hospitality initiatives in the months to come. The hotel industry has been gripped by several harsh financial burdens brought about by both the central and state governments that include Service Tax – charged by the Central Government, Luxury Tax – charged by the State, Value Added Tax (VAT) – on Food and Beverage, Excise Duty – on Beverages and Octroi Duty - on items imported into the State, among others.

 “This is one of the few occasions in the history of independent India that a prime minister has emphasized the importance of tourism and hospitality as a key component in the growth of economy. In the poll manifesto the elected Government has emphasized on the role tourism as a foreign exchange earner and its ability to create millions of jobs every year. The hospitality industry alone accounts for approximately 8.8% of total employment and is a significant contributor to the country’s GDP. With the right kind of vision and leadership, tourism can flourish in the state as much as in the country,” says Mr. D.S. Advani, President, HRAWI while welcoming the new Government.

As per the manifesto tourism plays a key role in socio-economic progress through creation of jobs, enterprise, infrastructure development, and foreign exchange earnings.

“Hospitality and tourism industry go hand in hand.  Growth of tourism is integral to the growth of hospitality industry. We appeal to the new government, which is fully aware of this potential, to simplify the tax regime and make licensing processes easy and transparent,” adds Mr. Advani.

In its manifesto the new government had underscored the need for a clear growth plan and plans to initiate a mission to create 50 tourist circuits that are affordable and built around themes like Archaeological and Heritage; Cultural and Spiritual; Himalayan; Desert; Coastal; and, Medical (Ayurveda and Modern Medicine), among others. These are expected to lead to the creation of infrastructure and employment around each tourist circuit and help boost revenue generation. The manifesto further sought to introduce specialized courses in tourism for capacity development, besides according due priority to the safety and security of tourists.

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