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A case for putting tourism in Concurrent list

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, NOV. 21 .The chief executive officers (CEOs) who discussed the challenges before the tourism sector in the country at an international conference here this past week have suggested putting tourism in the Concurrent list for better implementation of policies and for improved inter-State, Centre-State coordination. Presently tourism is neither in the Central list nor in the State list.

The CEOs, who sought more attention for the sector at the policy making level suggested that tourism should be discussed in the National Development Council. There is a need for formulation of a Tourism Act, for setting up of Tourism Board and earmarking special tourism economic zones, they felt.

The CEOs' conclave, which formed part of the three-day conference on "India: Tourism & heritage-Challenge 21", was significant for the fact that many of them were not directly from the tourism sector. However, considering the gamut of economic activities -- other than just connectivity and hospitality -- the tourism envelops, their opinions were significant.

The CEOs deliberating in eight different groups, noted the need for human resource development in the sector as 80 per cent of the people who earned a living from tourism belonged to the unorganized segments -- like taxi drivers, roadside tea stall owners and the guides who all needed training and orientation.

The Uttranchal Minister for Tourism, T.P.S.Rawat, noted the growing conflicts among the local population and the visitors. There was a need for an attitudinal change among the Governments, bureaucracy and the citizens towards tourism, he said.

The group dealt with connectivity was of the view that the monopoly of Indian Railways should be broken and competition be created. For this private operators should be allowed to run coaches or entire trains, for tourists. As for aviation sector, they recommended smaller feeder airlines which could make use of scores of underutilized airports in the country. The volume of air traffic could be raised by offering cheaper tickets.

The CEOs hailed the domestic tourists -- who saved the industry from many crises in the past -- as the "unsung heroes" of the sector. There is an enormous market back home which is often overlooked. Going by the figures of Rajasthan, provided by Vinod Zutshi, Secretary, Tourism, Rajasthan, 12.5 million domestic tourists visited the State in December-January 2003-04 alone.

The chairman and managing director of India Tourism Development Corporation, Amitabh Kant, listed the areas needed maximum attention as: civic governance, communication, connectivity, capacity building and coordination of service providers.

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