Jehangir Rashid
SRINAGAR, Aug 15: The incentives announced by the Tourism Department in the form of a package has failed to enthuse the tourist traders especially hoteliers. The tourism players have taken a dig at the package saying that it is equivalent to injecting life into a crippled baby.
Talking to Excelsior, President, Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF), Faiz Bakshi said that the Government decision to provide incentives to hoteliers who increase their bed strength by 33 percent is a crude joke. Faiz said incentives should be given to the hoteliers for developing their deteriorated infrastructure.
“By the virtue of the incentives order the Government wants to build more rooms while keeping the deteriorated rooms as they are. This is not practically possible as we want our existing infrastructure to be in tune with the demands of the clients. We can increase the accommodation only when the existing infrastructure is complete fully,” said Faiz.
“Both Finance Minister Mr Rather and Tourism Minister Mr Jora had accepted that the package is full of flaws. They assured us that they would look into the matter and the make the package in tune with the demands of the hoteliers. The decision to give sops to the people who wish to convert their houses into Paying Guest Houses is also fraught with many lacunae,” said Faiz.
Faiz said that the genuine hoteliers are being harassed by different Government departments on account of drainage, sewerage, fire room and other infrastructural facilities. He said permission for converting the houses into Paying Guest Houses should be given only when these houses meet the basic infrastructural requirements.
Sharing his views, President, Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHARA), Mohammad Showkat Chowdhary said that 67 percent of the rooms in most of the existing hotels are in a deteriorating condition. Showkat said that lack of space in the hotels is creating problems for the existing hoteliers adding there is no fun of increasing the bed strength.
Showkat said that the Government should modify Section 4 (V) of the Government Order 224 TSM dated 19-4-2012 so that Capital Outright Investment Subsidy is provided to the hoteliers for the existing infrastructure. He also took a dig at the Government proposal envisaging package for the people who wish to convert their houses into Paying Guest Houses.
“The areas in and around the old city areas of Srinagar are left with no suitable land to create new units. Some of the areas fall in the green belt and any tourism activity in these areas is bound to spoil and imbalance the fragile nature of the environment. This would also lead to unplanned and haphazard mushroom growth of the tourist units,” said Showkat.
Proprietor, Highland Journeys, Rauf Tramboo while dwelling upon the incentives for the adventure tour operators said that incentives should have been announced for adventure tour operators involved in trekking and water sports events that are quite familiar in the state.
The adventure tourism activities that have been covered under this scheme include mountaineering, skiing, aero-sports, aquatic sports, kayaking, canoeing, angling, golf, para-gliding, para-sailing, white water rafting, rowing, zorbing ball, bungee jumping, mountain biking and hot air-balloon.
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