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Heritage hotel owners demand special rules

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Anil Sharma Jaipur
 It also demanded extension of benefits and concessions to the heritage hotels at par with other industries.

 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.

 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.

 He said the Himachal Pradesh government would soon announce a separate policy for the heritage tourism promotion.

 of heritage tourism The Rajasthan government was yet to formulate a heritage tourism policy, he added.

 Gaj Singh said while the hotel sector had been given the industry status, the policy was yet to be implemented.

 Demanding the government patronage, he said 90 per cent of the heritage hotels were located in rural areas and were dependent on foreign tourists.

 He said heritage hotels in Rajasthan were started with an aim to preserve and revive rich heritage and promote tourism.

 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.

 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.

 He also demanded a single-window facility for new and existing projects.

 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.

 He also demanded a separate bar and wine licence policy for the heritage hotels.

 Gaj Singh said the Centre had recognised heritage hotels as a separate category and categorised them in

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First Published: Sep 17 2003 | 12:00 AM IST

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