Talking Point

Political Support Lends Wings To Tourism

Few are comfortable with industry and politics being mentioned in the same breath. Except hospitality and tourism which have been on a dream run with the Centre lending its support to the cause

Capital View

Rabindra Seth

The hospitality industry’s dream of a prime minister-led tourism effort is nowhere near realisation. But, there is a silver lining - the sector has found some space as an instrument of development in the thought processes at the highest level. Ever since Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee referred to tourism’s potential in his Independence Day address two years ago - the first time this honour was bestowed from the ramparts of the Red Fort - the industry has been looking forward to August 15 for more leads. This year the Prime Minister moved ahead from identifying potential to action-oriented initiatives. What is more heartening, the President too in his Independence Day telecast the previous evening, spoke of tourism’s “Tremendous potential for wealth generation,” the first time the head of state has broached the subject. More importantly, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam went on to suggest that “Tourism be made the fifth mission,” in the quest for achieving a ‘Developed India’ by 2020. And, to achieve this mission, the President said improvement of infrastructure is essential; thrust is required to be given for inland water navigation, hotels, communications and tourism promotion. “If we promote sustainable tourism, it will become India’s core competence,” he added.

To come back to the Prime Minister. The hospitality industry is fully conscious now that tourism can prosper only in a “Dynamic globally competent economy,” the acclaimed objective of economic reforms launched in the early nineties and being pushed through by the present government.

The larger picture that Vajpayee painted did point to the move forward towards that goal. His promise of a mission to the moon (Chandrayaan I) by 2008 or that software exports have already leap frogged from Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 50,000 crore, should come as fascinating tools for promoting Destination India, as the confluence of a modern nation and an ancient civilisation.

The industry should appreciate that faster and quality growth of infrastructure as part of the country’s general development is crucial for a push to tourism as well. A road network is one such area. In the prime minister’s own words: “In the first five decades of independence, only 550 km of four lane highways were built. In other words, only 11 km a year. Now, we will build 24,000 km of highways at the rate of 11 km a day. The Rs 54,000 crore national highway development project is progressing rapidly. Three lakh people are working on it. Next year this number will go up to six lakh a day.”

The Economic Survey had recently said that the 5,846 km golden quadrilateral linking the four metros will be substantially complete this year) and 817 km of the 7,300 km north-south, east-west corridor has already been built. This massive venture will be completed by 2007.

Turning to tourism-specific issues, the Prime Minister made quite a few significant remarks especially about Pakistan and Kashmir. Asking our neighbour to “Walk together on the road peace,” he said, “Let people travel to and fro. Let more and more elected representatives visit each other’s country. Let us expand bilateral cultural relations.” Vajpayee shared with millions of viewers the good news on domestic movements into Kashmir. “This year, more than one lakh tourists went to Kashmir. There was a large turn out of pilgrims going to the Amarnath Yatra. Nearly six thousand students from different parts of India are studying in Kashmir,” he stated.

Without naming Union minister for tourism, Jagmohan, the Prime Minister paid him a tribute for his good work in cleaning up monuments. Pointing out that “India has limitless potential in tourism,” he said, “Take the case of the historic Red Fort itself. It has been taken up for comprehensive restoration for the very first time in 350 years. I can see that a beautiful garden is coming up in the ground in front of me. It can be befittingly called the August 15 Park.”

And, he asked the people, “I would like you too to emulate this example by undertaking such beautiful projects for the conservation of heritage in your own village or town.” Interesting, President Kalam also referred to the same subject in his speech.

According to official sources a Tourism Infrastructural Development Fund is being created to “Speedily improve, through a strategy of public-private partnership, roads, water, power, sanitation and overall ambience in all the high potential tourist destinations.”

Independence Day 2003 has certainly made the industry feel good.