PM for all out efforts to exploit tourism potential

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 30. Commending the potential of tourism to defeat terrorism and all other manifestations of fanaticism, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today called for all-out efforts by all concerned to help fully exploit the tourism potential of the country and help invigorate the economy.

Inaugurating the Conference of Chief Ministers and State Tourism Ministers, called to debate the draft of the new Tourism Policy, Mr. Vajpayee pointed out the shortcomings, which hindered promotion of tourism, and suggested corrective steps at all levels.

Emphasising the need for rationalisation of taxes by both the Centre and the States and development of essential infrastructure, including the promotion of hygiene and health environment, to give a boost to tourism, Mr. Vajpayee announced the setting up of a Tourism Advisory Council at the national level and asked the States to follow suit.

The council will have representatives of Central and the State Governments, besides those of the industry. Members of Parliament and eminent figures would also be included as members.

Poor standards of cleanliness, which impeded growth of the sector, will have to be improved to ensure that a tourist coming with great expectations did not go back with an unpleasant impression, he said urging the Ministers to launch a campaign for cleanliness at least in places of tourist attraction and involve NGOs, students and youth groups and even religious bodies in it. If necessary, financial and managerial resources of the municipalities at these places should also be strengthened. He added ``safai'' (cleanliness) as another point to the six broad areas identified in the draft policy for promotion of sustainable tourism.

Talking in terms of the reformist agenda and calling for an integrated approach in relation to tourism, he said a departure has been made to demarcate the responsibilities of the Government, the private sector and social organisations.

Defending the move to privatise government-run hotels, he said this was being done as it was considered relevant for the Government to continue with this activity. The Government should concentrate on creating the right environment and act as pro- active facilitators and catalyst.

Referring to poor performance and slow growth rate of tourism, the Prime Minister took a dig at hoteliers and private tour operators and advised them not to ignore the middle-class domestic tourists. The tendency to concentrate only on foreigners and rich Indians should be discouraged.

Observing that the tourism and aviation sectors had been hit hard by the recent terrorist attacks in the U.S., he said, ``Terrorism may have temporarily hit tourism in this metaphorical battle between the two. But I have no doubt that tourism will make a major contribution to the eventual defeat of terrorism and all other manifestations of fanaticism.''

Expressing anguish over India's meagre share in global tourism, he said ``it is a matter of both irony and concern that we have, at 3.8 million, more Indians going abroad than the 2.6 million foreigners visiting India. This calls for serious introspection and a comprehensive analysis of all the factors that are impeding the growth of this vital sector.''

Asserting that tourism had a great capacity to create large-scale employment of diverse kinds, the Prime Minister said that with the current slump in international tourism, it had become even more urgent for India to strengthen the domestic travel industry with region-specific strategies. The new policy should specially focus on tapping the enormous tourism potential in the eastern and north-eastern States, he stressed.

The Union Finance Minister, Mr. Yashwant Sinha, called for fine- tuning of the taxation structure between the Centre and the States and regretted that whenever the Centre gave some concession to the tourism sector, the States usurped it by imposing taxes at their level, which nullified the benefits.

He asked the States to arrive at a consensus to enable the Centre to act accordingly while finalising the union budget and tourism budgets for different States. The relevant issues could be discussed and settled through the Standing Committee of the State Finance Ministers, he said.

Airing his concern over the ``static'' tourist traffic in the country, the Union Tourism Minister, Mr. Jagmohan, said special focus should be given to domestic tourism with emphasis on holy places. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to attract tourists from Japan, Korea, Cambodia and Australia.

The Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr. K.C. Pant, said that since the sense of physical security played a key role in choosing destinations, anti-social elements trying to take advantage of unsuspecting foreigners should be dealt with sternly.

He advised the States to prepare tourism master plans with the best available technical and professional assistance.

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