If fully tapped heritage tourism will up India's economy: IHHA

PANAJI: The potential of heritage tourism is so vast that if it is fully tapped, it will change the India's economy, a heritage hotel industry body said today.

"Government is very much alive to the potential of employment which is possible in rural India," Vijay Lal, vice- president, Indian Heritage Hotels Association ( IHHA), told reporters.

"Employment potential is so vast that if it is properly utilised it can change the economy of India," he said. IHHA held its executive committee meeting yesterday in Goa discussing various issues concerning the industry.

Maharaja Gaj Singh of Jodhpur, IHHA president, said that heritage hotel tourism is providing gainful employment to locals. "In Rajasthan, 90 per cent of the people employed in this industry are locals," he said.

He said that the heritage tourism does not only provide direct employment through hotels but also provide indirect employment to various peoples linked with the industry.

"The folk music in Rajasthan was dying. After the advent of heritage hotels, it is revived again," Singh said.

The IHHA Chief said that in rural areas infrastructural problem is hampering growth of this industry.

"The infrastructure creation will not only boost the tourism but it will become a vehicle to provide employment to the locals and upgrade their standard," he said.