(Continued from part 1)
We took COVID as a great opportunity and created a roadmap for the next 6 months on what interventions can be undertaken stated Ms. Valsa Nair, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Culture, Civil Aviation & Excise, Government of Maharashtra. We have introduced an agro-tourism policy which encourages farm-stays, incentivizes farmers to get into farm-stays, also for horticulture, fisheries, agriculture and wine. We have also worked on a beach-shack policy, caravan tourism and adventure tourism policy during this period.
Thiru. Vikram Kapur, Addl. Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Dept, Government of Tamil Nadu expressed that Tamil Nadu tourism promotional project has been launched, where we have identified 295 new destinations and grouped them into about half a dozen circuits. In addition to traditional circuits, we are developing these new areas and opening them up for tourists. We need to focus on marketing as we have some of the best natural resources in the world with a wealth of heritage. The traditional way of marketing needs to give way to new tools of marketing.
COVID has already caused 142.6 million job losses in the entire travel and tourism industry with an estimated GDP loss of USD 3,815 billion stated Ms. Gloria Guevara, President and CEO World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). If no improvement occurs, this will increase to 174.4 million job losses with USD 4,711 billion GDP loss. The good news out of this crisis is that they have finally acknowledged the importance of the sector. The global tourism industry contributes 1 in 10 jobs and contribute 330 million jobs across the world. This is a sector with multiple industries and provides greater social impact and benefit. Our principles of recovery include: international and public private sector coordinated approach to effectively re-establish operations, enhance existing seamless traveller journey experience, adoption of global health, hygiene and safety protocol and common standards, continued government support
Mr GB Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East and South Asia, Singapore Tourism Board expressed that Singapore had a three phased approach for safe Singapore transitions. Singapore has taken a calibrated approach, where we test strategies, adjust and move forward.
Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and Hospitality and MD&CEO IHCL expressed that five broad areas need to be addressed to build a stronger more sustainable and resilient tourism economy; reopening the tourism economy, restoring traveller confidence, relooking at infrastructure and hygiene, rebuilding destinations and rethinking the travel and tourism sector in the long run. Mr. Deep Kalra, Co-Chairman, CII National Committee on Tourism and Hospitality & Founder & Executive Chairman, MakeMyTrip stated that reopening of the tourism economy will not happen without restoring traveller confidence. While there exists demand today, more has to be done to improve confidence. One of the biggest silver lining seen is how closely the industry has come together and how well public and private partnership has responded to this crisis.
The CII Annual Tourism Summit was witnessed by more than 800 delegates and the release of the CII Tourism Policy Dashboard 3.0 which details the critical areas that we need to pay attention to help build a cohesive and robust industry:
1) The need for Tourism to be brought under the Concurrent List
2) Provide Export Status for Tourism Earnings
3) Conferring Infrastructure status to hotel industry
4) Creation of an Empowered National Tourism Board with Private sector involvement and Professionals
5) Developing Tourism through Port/Cruise Infrastructure, Aviation, Improved Road & Railway Connectivity and Infrastructure Development
6) Measures to stimulate domestic demand
7) GST measures
The valedictory session will have Hon’ble Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel delivering the valedictory session tomorrow.
16 December 2020