Lucknow, Aug 21 (IANS): The tourism sector in Uttar Pradesh is poised to gain industry status.
Official sources said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave his consent to the proposal.
“A decision in principle to award industry status to the tourism and hospitality sector has been taken and now a committee of experts is weighing the pros and cons so that the best investor-friendly project is submitted to the state cabinet approval,” a government spokesman said. said.
The proposed changes will be made to the new tourism policy currently being developed.
Rajasthan recently granted industry status to its hospitality sector. Uttarakhand, Goa, Kerala have also taken the plunge. Industry players are of the opinion that the tourism sector can give a great boost to the economy of Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh is a leading state in terms of tourism, with 109.71 million domestic tourists and 33,737 foreign tourists in 2021; and the kind of work that has been done in the state over the past few years, the “growth is bound to be remarkable.”
Citing an example from Varanasi, the spokesperson said that more than a million pilgrims visited Kashi during the month of “Shravan”, which is “breathtaking data”.
Once Ram Temple in Ayodhya is built, attendance is expected to increase.
Experts are of the opinion that the status of the industry will facilitate investment in the sector in addition to making it more sustainable.
“Electricity charges and taxes will drop significantly once tourism becomes an industry in Uttar Pradesh. It will also facilitate the allocation of land for new projects in places like Varanasi, which lacks land for expansion,” an official said.
They also felt that the industry status of the tourism and hospitality sector will help revive the region which has suffered greatly during the pandemic years.
“The status of the industry will reduce the cost of inputs for the relaunch of hotels and resorts, which will prevent the closure of loss-making entities. At the same time, it will encourage the remaining projects to restart,” said a member of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Uttar Pradesh.
The move will also facilitate the development of heritage hotels and homestays, many of which are not moving forward because banks are putting too many checks before giving out loans.
But more than that, in the longer term, it will fuel local economies and also help preserve local arts, crafts, tradition and cuisine.
