Hotel Association of India's (HAI) second biennial Hoteliers' Conclave concluded at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi.

The two-day conference was inaugurated by Kumari Selja, Union Minister for Tourism in the presence of eminent dignitaries including Ministry of Tourism officials and members of HAI from across the country.

Inaugurating the conclave, Selja urged the tourism stakeholders including hotels in India to help change the perception that India is a costly destination. “It must be our joint endeavour to change this perception. More than 100 hotels have been opened in the last two years and this would have a positive impact on the demand and supply situation of hotel rooms in the country,” added Selja. Explaining about the various incentives which the Indian government had announced in the last couple of years, especially to bring more investment in the hospitality sector, Selja said that the five-year tax holiday announced in 2007-08 budget was an important step in this direction.

As cost of land in Indian cities makes budget hotels unviable in those cities, Selja said that her Ministry is persistently asking state governments, local bodies, other government land owning agencies including Railways, Port Trusts, etc. to help set up hotels on PPP model, on long lease or revenue sharing basis with private entrepreneurs. “The Ministry is ready to give capital subsidies for such ventures,” added Selja. She also called upon hospitality players in the country to embrace the spirit and tenets of safe and honourable tourism to make India a world-class destination for tourists.

Delivering keynote address on the occasion, Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission, Government of India said that for a competitive industry like tourism it is important to forge good relationship between government and the industry. He said that ‘force of demographics’ is favourable for Sustainable Tourism in the country.

RK Puri, Secretary General, HAI; Nakul Anand, President, HAI and Ajoy Misra, Vice President, HAI also spoke during the event.