2015: A Visit India year
To mark the launch of eVisa, SM Shervani, President, FHRAI recommends 2015 to be celebrated as a ‘Visit India’ year with cultural extravaganzas being held across India.
In his inaugural speech, Shervani requested the Government of Kerala to take a pragmatic and long-term view of the changes in the liquor policy. He also recommended that all classified and government-approved hotels and restaurants should be eligible for bar licenses.
On behalf of FHRAI, he made a few recommendations to the Government. “Reduce the minimum project cost mandated for inclusion of hotels in the RBI infrastructure lending list from Rs 200 crore to a threshold of Rs 20 crore. Then, eliminate multiplicity of taxation through an early introduction of the GST. For an effective and transparent single-window mechanism, constitute an empowered hospitality development promotion board in all states. Also, rationalise the CRZ Norms in accordance with the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee, develop infrastructure in terms of strengthening the country road network and rail connectivity in Tier-II and Tier-III cities, and facilitate the availability of affordable land-banks for hospitality projects. The government should also make long- gestation and capital-intensive hotel projects economically viable,” he said.
While thanking the Government for introducing eVisa, FHRAI strongly recommended that the citizens of top 15 source markets should be eligible for this facility in the first phase of this initiative. “To mark the launch of the eVisa, we recommend that 2015 should be celebrated as Visit India year with cultural extravaganzas and food festivals being held across the country throughout the year. The central government should notify an exemption from service tax on all foreign tourists visiting India in 2015.” He informed that FHRAI donated through the Ministry of Tourism a cheque of
31 lakh for J&K flood relief, via the PM Relief fund.