Rajasthan's tourism industry seeks a dedicated board in new policy

The tourism sector in Rajasthan is seeking relaxed norms for industry-status benefits, a separate policy for hotel regulation, and a dedicated tourism board as part of its suggestions for the state’s new tourism policy.

 

“We have suggested to the government that the conditions for industry-status benefits be eased so that small hotels can fully benefit,” said Hussain Khan, president of the Hotel Federation of Rajasthan.

 

The federation has also sought a separate policy for the regulation of hotels, and setting up of a tourism board, Khan said.

 

“The government has made many promises. How much it fulfils will only be clear once the policy is released,” he said.

 

 

Sources in the tourism department said the new policy would address issues such as industry-status benefits, hotel-restaurant licences, fire NOCs, government land allotment, land conversion relaxations, motor vehicle tax on luxury coaches, bar licenses, and hotel operating regulations.

 

Tourism expert Sanjay Kaushik said new provisions were being included in the policy for the first time after a long time. He hoped that the policy would benefit new ventures and projects.

 

The state government recently presented a draft of the new tourism policy and invited suggestions from the industry. Almost all stakeholders have given their inputs.

 

“We have received suggestions from the stakeholders. Our target is to come out with the new policy before the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, which is to be held from December 9-11 in Jaipur,” an official of the state’s tourism department said.

 

“The new tourism policy’s focus will be on bringing maximum private investment in the sector. Currently, the tourism policy of 2015 is in operation. In the last 9 years, this policy has been extended three times,” another official said.

 

He said many changes had taken place in the tourism sector in the past nine years. “In 2020, the urban development department also introduced new building bylaws, which include hotel housing, resort housing, and tourism-related issues,” he added.

 

“In such a situation, a new policy was needed to include the provisions of building bylaws,” he said.

 

The official said the policy would cover eco-tourism, event management, film city, heritage restaurants, hotel housing, indoor-outdoor play zones, integrated tourism villages, motels, wayside facilities, operating hotels, resort housing, rural tourism units, tourism activity service providers, tourism startup units, and wellness centers, among others.