Indian Heritage Hotels Association has urged government of Maharshtra to review its tourism policy and promote heritage tourism in the state. The president of IHHA Maharaja Gaj Singhji of Jodhpur urged property owners and the Government to take up heritage tourism very seriously as it was one way to restore these properties to their former glory and also creator for jobs in rural areas. Recently, a meeting of Executive Committee of the Indian Heritage Hotels Association was in Pune.
The association also demanded that heritage hotels should be given luxury tax exemption and exemption from local civic taxes and non-agricultural cess for 20 years. Heritage hotels should be given 50% discount in electricity charges like Rajasthan. It has 180 registered members across India out of which only three are in Maharashtra
He said, “With numerous forts with sizeable tourist footfalls in the Konkan and Western Regions of Maharashtra, the State Government has chalked out a plan which comprises improving the basic facilities to attract more tourists from within and outside the State. The government needs to create a special heritage cell in the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. It should set up a heritage tourism fund at 6 per cent rate of interest for restoring old properties.”
According to IHHA, all properties which include, palaces, castles, forts, havelis and hunting lodges, residences of any size built prior to 1950 and having facade, architectural features and general construction with distinctive qualities and ambiance in keeping with the traditional way of life of the area have the potential to be converted into heritage hotel. Most of the Heritage Hotels are located in rural areas.
These properties are therefore intimately connected with the development of Village and Rural Tourism. Heritage Hotels should be made nodal points for promotion of Rural Tourism in their respective areas.
