The Hindu : Centre urged to `open up the skies'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 11, 2003

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National

Centre urged to `open up the skies'

By Our Special Correspondent

The Governor of Tamil Nadu, P.S. Ramamohan Rao, releasing a book on tourism at a conference organised by FICCI in Chennai on Wednesday. The FICCI President, A.C. Muthiah, receives the book. Others in the photograph (from left) are: Rathi Vinay Jha, Union Tourism Secretary, A. Miller, Tamil Nadu Tourism Minister, and Abdul Kadir Bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir, Malaysian Tourism Minister. — Photo: Bijoy Ghosh

CHENNAI DEC. 10 . Welcoming the Naresh Chandra Committee's suggestions for allowing private carriers to fly to the SAARC countries, speakers at a two-day international tourism marketing conference to promote South India as a global destination, today urged the Union Government to completely "open up" the skies to the private airlines for flying on unutilised international routes.

Centre told to be more proactive

Leading the appeal at the conference, organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Malaysian Minister for Culture, Arts and Tourism, Abdul Kadir Bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir, urged the Government of India to become more "proactive" and allow the operation of more flights between India and Malaysia, either by the Malaysia Airlines System or by Air India and Indian Airlines.

"It is not the carrier that matters. It is the air-connectivity that is the key factor which could be the engine for tourism growth," he said.

Stressing that air-connectivity played a key role in augmenting the overseas visitors arrivals into Malaysia from an annual 5.5 million three years ago to 13.3 million now, Mr. Fadzir said India had always been a top travel market with abundant potential. The Indian film industry could be optimally used for promoting tourism worldwide as Indian films, particularly from Tamil Nadu, were a big hit in Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and now in China.

`Encourage private sector'

The Tamil Nadu Governor, P.S. Ramamohan Rao, inaugurating the conference, said the need of the hour was to actively encourage private sector infrastructure by strengthening the airlines route networking and airports.

"I take this opportunity to suggest the `Build Operate Own Transfer or Build Operate Transfer' methods could be the ideal choice for achieving growth in the aviation and tourism sector which are inter-linked," he said, adding that it was imperative to build partnerships in the travel and tourism sectors.

The Governor presented "Lifetime Achievement Awards" to Inder Sharma, Co-Chairman, FICCI Tourism Committee, and Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways, for their significant contribution to the travel and aviation industry.

Pointing out that the tourism industry was passing through a challenging phase, the Union Tourism Secretary, Rathi Vinay Jha, underscored the importance of promoting intra-regional tourism. "We need to develop a mechanism whereby the entire region can be promoted. We need the networking of our tour operators so that they can market joint tours," Ms. Jha said, adding that healthcare tourism with advanced medical facilities in India and sporting events such as cricket tourneys could be well leveraged to promote overseas and domestic tourism.

The Uttaranchal Tourism Minister, Lt. Gen. T.P.S. Rawat, appealed for networking tourism activities within the various States.

The Tamil Nadu Minister for Tourism, A. Miller, outlined the State's "tourism friendly initiatives", especially relating to adventure, ecology, and heritage.

The FICCI President, A.C. Muthiah, sought early implementation of the Prime Minister's announcement of 18 new international destinations in India for ASEAN tourist arrival.

He suggested tourism be made a concurrent subject for deepening the synergy between the Centre and State with an integrated national action.

Senior representatives from the World Tourism Organisation and overseas tourism bodies, including Thailand and New Zealand, are participating in the conference.

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