‘Eyeing investments, government to roll out tourism policy soon’

JAIPUR: In a bid to give further fillip to investments, create new infrastructure, better utilization of resources and attract more tourists, the tourism department is planning to roll out a new tourism policy. Speaking to TOI, tourism minister Vishvendra Singh said that infrastructure development and popularization of lesser known destination would also be priority areas in the new policy.

“We are planning to bring out the policy as quickly as possible so that we get more time to effectively implement the policy,” Singh said.

High land prices have created roadblocks for investment in the tourism sector. People looking to scale up operations with greenfield projects said that at the current level of land prices, new projects are not viable and that’s why many of the projects for which MoUs were inked with the government during Resurgent Rajasthan could not materialize on the ground.

“We want the department to make provisions in the new policy for providing land at cheaper rates. That will attract investors to the state for tourism related projects. New infrastructure is necessary to increase the number of tourist visiting the state,” added the entrepreneur.

While the minister said it is too early to talk about the features of the policy, entrepreneurs in the tourism industry said that training and skill development of the people engaged in the hospitality sector is important to improve the image of the destination.

“What people take back after the trip to the state is the experience. During their visits, they engage with tourist guides, hire taxis or autos, and go to restaurants or roadside dhabas. They need to be trained. If the tourists are treated well, they are likely to come back for the second time. We need to have more repeat tourists,” added another industry veteran.

Similarly, marketing also needs a new boost. Currently, there is no unified portal to support small service providers. “If the government can create a portal, giving presence to all who are engaged in the trade will help the industry. This will also promote the state as a destination,” he added.