‘The biggest challenge for the industry is getting infrastructure status’

The reigning president of FHRAI, Manbeer Choudhary, expounds on the preparations planned for its 42nd National Convention, in an exclusive chat with Praveen K Singh

Manbeer Choudhary President FHRAI

What is the main focus of this convention?

FHRAI's 42nd annual convention will focus on the investment opportunities in India and the various outlays and strategies to do so in hospitality as well as tourism sectors. For this we hope to have two union ministers and at least four chief ministers amidst us. We also plan to make the convention an occasion for important announcements in terms of incentives and concessions for the hospitality sector.

It will have a separate session on emerging women entrepreneurs, as we have so many women at the forefront of this business. A perfect example is Apeejay Group's Priya Paul who is also the president of HAI. We have started the Young Women Entrepreneur Award to encourage women entrepreneurship in the hotel sector.

We also want to encourage public-private partnership. The state of Punjab has taken the lead by identifying tourist complexes that will be privatised. The convention is also slated to discuss promotion of tourism in states like Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Haryana which are only just realising the potential of tourism.

The industry has always demanded tax rationalisation. What do you plan to do about this?

The issue of irrational taxation has always troubled hoteliers. But we have got assurance from the Union Minister for Tourism, Ambika Soni, as well as the various state ministers that things will change. We hope that they will make some announcements regarding this during the convention. The four chief ministers expected to be present at the convention include Bhoopinder Singh Hooda (Haryana), Capt Amarinder Singh (Punjab), Raja Veer Bhadra Singh (Himachal Pradesh) and Vasundhra Raje Scindia (Rajasthan). Also minister of state for finance, Pawan Bansal will be there on the first day of convention, where he will announce some relief measures for the industry or some incentives for entrepreneurs. Soni will be present on the third day for the valedictory session and will present the FHRAI awards.

Another problem is to bring all hoteliers under regulation through authorities like PFA in terms of pollution, electricity, bylaws, foreign exchange, etc.

What issues do you plan to raise at the convention?

The biggest challenge confronting the industry is getting infrastructure status, which has become central for a developing country like India. It should also be extended to the hospitality industry. Secondly, we need to support the policy-makers, ministers at the helm of urban development, commerce, finance, excise and all departments, which are inter-linked to the tourism ministry. Although the tourism and hospitality industries are the biggest source of revenue and employment, it has been continuously neglected by the policy-makers.