Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday emphasised the government’s commitment to reforms and to making India a globally competitive tourism destination.
He was speaking during an interactive session on ease of doing business at a programme here.
The interactive session on ease of doing business was organised by the Ministry of Tourism in New Delhi with the representatives of tourism and hospitality industry under the chairmanship of Shekhawat.
The meeting brought together leading industry associations, including FAITH, ASSOCHAM, PHDCCI, WTTCII, TGFI, ABTO, CII, IAAPI and FICCI, to deliberate on reforms required to unlock the full growth potential of India’s tourism ecosystem.
Addressing the gathering, the Union Minister for Tourism and Culture underlined the importance of continuous engagement with industry stakeholders to identify regulatory bottlenecks and facilitate sustainable sectoral growth through greater ease of doing business.
Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, highlighted the need for simplification of the hotel classification system by shifting from inspection-based assessment to a self-declaration-based assessment, reducing checklist items and mandatory certification requirements in a time-bound manner to reduce regulatory burdens.
These proposals were appreciated by industry representatives.
The Ministry of Tourism made a presentation on its reform agenda and highlighted several initiatives already undertaken, including the delinking of licenses from the Ministry’s classification of hospitality units.
The consultation provided a platform for industry stakeholders to present key concerns and recommendations aimed at creating a more enabling, competitive and investment-friendly environment for tourism and hospitality businesses across the country.
The Ministry of Tourism welcomed the wide-ranging suggestions received during the deliberations and reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with industry associations, state governments and other stakeholders to advance reforms that enhance the ease of doing business and support the long-term growth of the tourism and hospitality sector.