HAI Meets Union Tourism Secretary, Presents ‘Vision2047’

Hotel Association of India (HAI) has come out with a vision and a roadmap for the future of the sector. HAI met the hon’ble secretary (tourism), V.Vidyavathi, presenting her a copy of the report ‘Vision 2047-Indian Hotel Industry-Challenges & The Road Ahead’.

The delegation comprised its Vice President, K.B. Kachru, Chairman Emeritus and Principal Advisor, South Asia Radisson Hotel Group; Secretary General M.P Bezbaruah; HAI Founding Members Priya Paul, Chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited and Dr. Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & MD, Bharat Hotels Limited, also participated in the meeting along with Ajay K. Bakaya, HAI Fellow Member &, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd.; and Charulata Sukhiia, Deputy Secretary General, HAI.

The Report charts out various possible scenarios for the future and what the industry can reasonably achieve by the year India celebrates 100 years of independence. The report focuses on how the pandemic has altered the way of doing business and analyses the megatrends like technology, sustainability concerns, changing consumer behavior, digitization, AI, etc.

Appreciating HAI’s initiative of coming out with a vision 2047 report, Shrimati V.Vidyavathi, emphasised the importance of strong partnership and constructive dialogue with the industry. She also outlined the government’s vision for integrated destination development and the role HAI can play in it.

HAI President and Managing Director & CEO, IHCL, Puneet Chhatwal said, “The tourism industry is going through a significant transformation and technology has helped us enhance customer engagements. Convergence of efforts at different levels and collaboration between the government and private stakeholders will be the key to the successful realization of the vision of creating jobs and contributing to the national growth story.

M.P. Bezbaruah, Secretary General, Hotel Association of India, said, “Hospitality Vision 2047 envisions the role of the industry to supplement the government’s new approach to Mission Mode Tourism Development and create a dynamic, vibrant hospitality industry that gives shape to the nation’s development goals.”

“India Vision 2047 is for a USD3 trillion tourism economy and a million international tourist arrivals. The hospitality sector will play a pivotal role. This report takes a look at the road ahead and the challenges, highlighting the policy interventions required to support the rapid growth of hotels to meet the targets of tourist inflows-both domestic and foreign”, said KB Kachru, Vice President, HAI, and Chairman Emeritus and Principal Advisor (South Asia), Radisson Hotel Group.