Rajasthan: Tourism industry pitches for last-mile connectivity

JAIPUR: The state government has allocated Rs 1,000 crore for promotion and development of tourism in the last two budgets. As the chief minister, who holds the finance portfolio, is set to present the Budget for 2023-24 on February 10, the tourism and hospitality sector wants the government to focus on sustainability, last mile connectivity to destinations outside the city areas and improving quality of experience to attract high value tourists.
Apurv Kumar, president of Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan (FHTR) and co-chair of CII’s Northern Region Tourism and Hospitality, said, “What Rajasthan government has done for tourism, very few states will be able to replicate.The results are evident in tourist inflows, which have hit record levels. Now, the focus should shift to sustainability, improving last mile connectivity and visitor experience.”
Kumar said the concept of ESG (environmental, social and governance) can also be applied to tourism even though currently the corporate world is taking baby steps to achieve these goals.
“We have to make tourism sustainable so that lakhs of people engaged in the sector continue to find livelihood opportunities. We expect the Budget to focus on sustainability, taking care of environment and bringing in the best practices thereof. With this, Rajasthan can further distinguish itself from the rest in breaking new grounds.”
He said besides being a great destination, the state should also set the bar high for responsible tourism. “This will attract high value tourists because people world over are increasingly becoming environmentally accountable. This is where Rajasthan can again score over other states,” added Kumar.
He said the convergence of culture, arts, heritage, handicrafts, textiles with tourism has been the magnet for tourists and the magic can be even more captivating if the inherent synergies are further cemented.
Besides, he also urged the state government to push the Centre for giving tourism infrastructure status as it will help the industry in getting finance at cheaper rates.
“This is a sector that engages people from all walks of life. It is a huge job creator. If the sector gets infrastructure status, the industry will be able to raise finance at cheaper rates. As tourism already has a larger footprint on the state’s economy, the sector will further get reinvigorated with fresh investments and expansions,” added Kumar.