Tag Archives: HAI

MP Bezbaruah, General Secretary, Hotel Association of India (HAI), highlighted India’s tourism infrastructure gap, citing a need for 4 lakh branded rooms and 2.8 million non-branded units. He urged the government to develop a long-term, capital-intensive accommodation policy looking ahead to 2047. He emphasised that while the industry will build it, policy support is crucial for encouragement and growth.

In a significant policy shift, VK Saxena, LG, Delhi has withdrawn the requirement for police-issued licences and NOCs for 7 trade categories, including hotels, motels, guest houses & eating houses. K B Kachru, President, HAI, hailed it as a landmark decision, stating it would boost Delhi’s appeal as a competitive & investment-friendly hospitality hub.

Amid the India-Pakistan tensions, to restore confidence and trust in tourism once again, MP Bezbaurah, Secretary General, HAI, suggested that for tourism to flourish in future as an instrument creating employment for the people and wealth for the country, trust and confidence needed to be restored in the law enforcing agencies to provide safety and security.

Highlighting the crucial role of the private sector in India and globally as a driving force for tourism growth, MP Bezbaruah, Secretary General, HAI, urged the government to frame suitable structures for effective PPP. He said HAI’s two main demands—providing industry benefits and allowing infrastructure status—would bring in more revenue to the government, create millions of direct and indirect jobs, and promote inclusive growth.

“Tourism and hospitality play a crucial role in the growth of the Indian economy. However, there has been no policy announcement to facilitate the development of hotels and the promotion of inbound tourism”, says KB Kachru, President, HAI. The industry will continue to ask for a grant of infrastructure status for the hospitality sector, he said.

KB Kachru, President, HAI, said, “The forthcoming Union Budget offers an opportunity to unleash the potential of India hospitality in its contribution to India Vision 2047. We request the government to make key policy shifts in the sector by giving infrastructure status to hotels rather than categorising them as luxury, elite or even ‘sin’ goods”.

Hotel Association of India has elected its new Executive Committee, and KB Kachru, Chairman Emeritus & Principal Advisor, South Asia at Radisson Hotel Group is the new President of the prestigious association for a two-year term. Vice President is Rohit Khosla, Executive Vice President, IHCL; JK Mohanty, MD Swosti Group is the Hony. Secretary and Sanjay Sethi, MD & CEO, Chalet Hotels, is the new Hony. Treasurer for the association. Two new EC members include Shashank Bhagat, MD, Radisson Blu Marina Hotel and Sonali Chauhan, General Manager, IHCL.

As per ‘Vision 2047: Indian Hotel Industry’ report by the Hotel Association of India (HAI), Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India are projected to increase to 15 million by 2024, and touch 25 million by 2030. It is further projected to grow attracting 100 million tourists by 2047. 

HAI has presented ‘Vision 2047 – Indian Hotel Industry-Challenges & the Road Ahead’ to V Vidyavathi, Tourism Secretary. It highlights that direct contribution of hotel industry to GDP was $40 bn in 2022, expected to reach $68 bn by 2027, and $1 tn by 2047.

MP Bezbaruah, Secretary General, HAI, believes that to attract medical tourists, maintaining global standards is a primary requisite. “Thematic creatives on niche tourism products like medical tourism are being used in government campaigns to cater to diverse consumer interests,” he adds.