Tourism and aviation
need new Vision in India
India,
everyone claims, has great scope and potential of Tourism and aviation and
culture which are interwoven and related to common missions. Tourism is also
most important driver of growth and job creation. Growth of tourism depends on
functioning of entire circuit of foreign marketing, availability of flights and
entire gamut of reception and hospitality. We have to make policies not in
compartments but holistically so that all these sectors are knitted in single
mission of promoting tourism in the country. It is depressing to analyze and
realize that the country has lagged behind in this vital area and is doing much
below the expectations. It needs policy formulation and redirection of the
sector with vision and innovation.
Let us
consider following dimensions of our performance:
1. In Global competitiveness report we
are at the rank 55 out of 144 countries while countries like Barbados, Chile, Tunisia
and such others are ranked above India. China gets 55 million tourists and we
get hardly 6million.
2. India is ranked 7th in
cultural and heritage tourism resource, but it is at the bottom of ten countries who have high tourism for
heritage and cultural tourism by World Economic Forum.
3. The shortage of rooms and high
incidence of tariff is attributed to high taxation of 16% on room 16% on food
and 23% liquor. China has flat 5% in each sector and Thailand and Singapore 7%
in three areas.
4. Hotel accommodation is in short
supply and for enhanced tourism considering hotel as export industry could help
Let us consider following in aviation sector which is in worse situation:
1. According to ICAO $100 spent on
aviation gives benefits worth $325 and 100 jobs. We have grown from 1990 when
we had 100 aircrafts to 735 in 2010 yet our aviation performance is poor. Air
India the national carrier has already incurred loss of 1100 crores.
2. Indian airlines all combined are not
able to use more than 40% capacity of seats allocated to them in foreign
flights. All three airlines of India are wasting capacities and seats.
3. Gulf sector airlines are dominating aviation
in India carrying 8-5 million passengers.
4. Rules which limit foreign flying to Indian airlines who have been functioning for
5 years and have 20 aircrafts also are impediment in growth.
5. In spite of dramatic though late
improvements in airports that are good ,
city side management of the airports needs much more improvement.
6. The connectivity of difficult terrain
sites like Himachal and North east have not received much attention.GPS landing
could be introduced to reduce costs of airport and flying for passenger in such
small strips.
7. The small city connectivity by small
airlines in hub and spoke model could only achieve it and promotion of small
airlines especially with likely development of an indigenous plane of 60seats
could help. Nepal is an example of more than 30 airports airstrips where the
tourist network of the country and movement is woven by such concept.
8. Perspective planning on network of
air ports like airstrips with small aircrafts as perfected by Nepal could bring
more connectivity.
Biggest issue is that thought process and policy making needs to be broad
based and limited to department al thinking. Professionals and experts who are
outside the pay roll of government sector and who could offer expertise based
on experience and skill should be utilized.
FACT is the first independent
private think tank that shall try to fill the gap in officialdom’s file based
thinking and needed global creative planning. New areas like cultural
discoveries, medical tourism, educational/ philosophical/ yoga packages, art
tourism, innovative ideas must replace worn out Incredible India byline.
Government and industry along with the users must join hands to create
new policies and paradigms of development and it should not be left to monopoly
of a few in corridors of Udan mantralya.
-------------Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports
Authority
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