Effective Execution Key to Success of Govt Initiatives

In last decade, the travel and tourism industry has emerged as one of the largest and fastest growing sectors globally, but there are still immense possibilities waiting to be tapped. With virtually the entire spectrum of climatic and topographic possibilities available in a single nation, coupled with its ancient and vibrant culture, couture and cuisine, India has the potential to gain its second wind as the 'destination of choice' of global international travellers. From a 'culture lover' to an intrepid explorer or backpacker, to a consumer of curated boutique experiences, a visitor can always find something new and interesting for his first, second and, daresay, third visit to the country. The forward-looking developments in infrastructure development and concerted focus on developing 'circuits' should all lead to the expected increase in foreign tourist arrivals to India to close to 25 million by 2020. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, for Thailand already gets 25 million foreign tourist arrivals today. The innate entrepreneurial spirit of the Indian travel and tourism industry, coupled with the aforementioned points of interest, will be a significant driver of the growing relevance of this destination. In addition, the natural hospitality and linguistic adaptability of Indians will help catapult India to a top position on the global destination map. The tourism industry, with its immense grassroots-level employment potential, will play a pivotal role in sustainable economic and social development. Well-planned tourism development also minimises the environmental impact of this economic development, for the preservation of a destination is often intrinsic to its continued appeal. This Gargantuan task is not easy at all. The government will have to open avenues for Public Private Partnership to unlock the potential of this country as a tourism magnet. The primary need of global travellers is not to travel to Agra from Delhi in less than 90 minutes. What they really want are spotlessly clean railway coaches, a comfortable drive, and good food, even if the journey takes 15 minutes longer. The government is taking steps in desirable directions, such as making the e-visa a reality, but we must be on our guard because most well-meaning government policies flounder on account of a lack of effective last-mile execution. The industry must therefore build bridges with the government and address together with it this critical area of weakness. As for The Oberoi Group, it has, for the longest time, epitomised the Prime Minister's 'Make in India' mantra, globally, in the hospitality sector. Befittingly, global recognition, such as the World's Leading Luxury Hotel Brand by Travel + Leisure USA and the World Travel Awards, and being ranked as ’’?the world's highest-rated luxury hotel brand’’? by Review Pro, has came the group's way in the very recent past. The continued presence of at least two properties of this 30-hotel Indian chain in the top 10 of any global list of best hotels is a testament to the brand's position at the vanguard of global luxury hospitality, albeit with a distinctly Indian flair. Using our distinctively crafted blend of quintessentially Indian hospitality that appeals to the international traveller, we will further increase the number of advocates for India across the globe. The Oberoi Group also plans to expand its footprint in key getaway cities not only in India, but also in international source markets, by 2020. The recovery of India's economy, coupled with the Group's expanding global footprint, bode well for an extended positive run for the company, and this should amply mirror the future of the country tourism industry too.

Kapil Chopra is the President of The Oberoi Group and the Vice-Chairman of the World Travel & Trade, India Initiative

The article first appeared in the inaugural edition of BW Hotelier, JAN-FEB 2015.