Emphasising on the need to chart out a district-level strategy for MSME associated with the hospitality, tourism and travel sector, industry body CHATT believes that the government has made impressive plans for the sector but there is a lacking in the implementation.
‘The Confederation of Hospitality Technology and Tourism Industry’ (CHATT) also says that online platforms have played a crucial role in giving wide recognition to budget hotels, homestays and BNB (Bed and breakfast) in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector.
This can help the government reach out to these businessmen and overcome their difficulties.
CHATT’s general secretary Anwar Shirpurwala told PTI on Sunday that the government has made comprehensive plans for the hospitality, tourism and travel sectors.
These include various subsidies, financial assistance for licensing and cluster construction, and many concessions, but a large section of the unorganized section associated with this sector i.e. budget hotel, homestay and lodge operators which are in millions are not aware of them.
He said that after talking to the MSME businessmen associated with the hospitality, tourism and travel sector in the country, we realise that they are not aware of what schemes the government has made for them.
Apart from this, being in the unorganized sector, they do not get the benefit of any training or capacity-building programme to upgrade their business. At the same time, they have little knowledge about the licensing and other procedures required to run their business. In the country’s hospitality, tourism and travel sector, the unorganized sector is the largest representation of businessmen and these are their common problems.
He said that the government will have to work in a systematic manner to take its schemes to the businessmen working in the unorganized sector. The government seems to be keen to do better for this sector, but there is room for further improvement on the implementation front. The National Tourism Policy is a step in this direction.
Shirpurwala stressed on the need to formulate a district-level strategy to take the government schemes to the grassroots and said that ”any policy is made at the centre and state level but even within a state there are different tourist places and every such place has its own needs. In such a situation, there is a need to strategize up at the district level.” Shirpurwala informed that CHATT is working to help the government in the schemes made at the district level. The government should set guidelines at the district level. Once this is done, it will become a common formula for the state and can be implemented through any agency.
He said that whether it is religious tourism or adventure tourism, Uttar Pradesh is one of the most prosperous states of the country in terms of tourism diversity. The CHATT will work exclusively on district-level planning and cluster development and waste disposal plan in this state. The state government has included many new things and ideas in the new tourism policy, which is very encouraging, but a well-organized strategy will also have to be made for its implementation.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
