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| It also demanded extension of benefits and concessions to the heritage hotels at par with other industries. |
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| Gaj Singh, IHHA president and former ruler of Jodhpur, said the number of heritage hotels had gone up from 54 in 1993 to 120 in 2003. |
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| While the majority of the heritage properties were located in Rajasthan, the Madhya Pradesh government had taken the lead by approving a comprehensive heritage tourism policy. |
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| He said the Himachal Pradesh government would soon announce a separate policy for the heritage tourism promotion. |
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| of heritage tourism The Rajasthan government was yet to formulate a heritage tourism policy, he added. |
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| Gaj Singh said while the hotel sector had been given the industry status, the policy was yet to be implemented. |
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| Demanding the government patronage, he said 90 per cent of the heritage hotels were located in rural areas and were dependent on foreign tourists. |
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| He said heritage hotels in Rajasthan were started with an aim to preserve and revive rich heritage and promote tourism. |
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| The heritage hotel scheme had created good interest among tourists and could become a major revenue earner with the patronage of the state governments, he added. |
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| Gaj Singh stressed a fresh look on sales tax, luxury tax, land conversion charges, land and building tax, house tax and improvement of roads leading to the heritage hotels. |
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| He also demanded a single-window facility for new and existing projects. |
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| Randhir Vikram Singh, IHHA secretary-general, said various castles, forts, palaces and traditional havelis had been converted into hotels, but maintaining the old structure was cumbersome and expensive. He demanded rebates to such hotels. |
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| He also demanded a separate bar and wine licence policy for the heritage hotels. |
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Gaj Singh said the Centre had recognised heritage hotels as a separate category and categorised them in
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