| The apex body can be an authority or a council to develop and promote tourism and tourism products. The HRAR wants the body to be formed on a public-private partnership basis. |
| The HRAR has suggested that this body should be autonomous, financially independent and members should be from the tourism industry. |
| "We have suggested that the apex tourism body should get Rs five crore from the state government. This body's membership shall be open to recognised travel agencies, classified hotels and it should have at least 10 members from among tour operators, representatives of HRAR, representatives from trade bodies, state government, police, airport, railways and airlines," Ajay Agarwal, president HRAR said. |
| He said this body would work in close association with the various agencies related to tourism and it should be able to handle various issues related to tourism on a day-to-day basis. He was happy that the state government had agreed to create a land bank for people in the hospitality industry keen to set up hotels in the state. |
| The Jaipur Development Authority has already started the process of earmarking land for this purpose. The state government has set a target of 21.5 million tourists""both Indian and foreign""for the current year, 25.8 million for the year 2006 and 3.15 crores for the year 2007. |
| He said for catering to the needs of this high number of tourists existing hotels will have to raise their bedded capacities and new hotels would require land. |
| Agarwal said that there is a dire need of setting up of an international level convention centre and a golf course in Jaipur. |
| "Currently, the government is planning to set up both over 30 km away from Jaipur, I think that it would be very far off and it would not benefit the city in any way. The government should plan both of these things in 5 km radius from the airport", he said. |
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