Hooda for investment in budget hotels

Chandigarh, Nov 10: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today stressed the need for investment in budget hotels saying that this sector had vast potential in the state where tourism was being promoted in a big way.

Mr Hooda, while speaking at the 42nd annual convention of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) on 'Mission Tourism-Incredible India' here, said that during his recent visit to Europe he had realised that budget hotels had great future.

He said the manufacturers of Spyker Cars in Netherlands had expressed their desire to invest in the state to set up a manufacturing unit and were also interested in developing a racing track including a specialised track for Formula One Racing.

These projects would further encourage the setting up of a number of budget hotels in the adjoining areas, especially around Delhi, he added.

Mr Hooda said the tourism scenario was fast changing globally and the region too had vast potential. Although Haryana lacked in natural spots yet ample potential for promotion of tourism was being created at several places in the state as tourism industry could also generate ample employment opportunities.

The government, he said, had taken steps to project Kurukshetra as a tourist destination on the international map. Other such places like Panipat and Pehowa too were being promoted because of state's rich cultural heritage, he added.

Haryana Minister of State for Tourism Kiran Choudhry said that keeping in view the growing demand for trained manpower for tourism and hotel industry, the Haryana government had decided to set up new institutes of hotel management at various places in the state in public-private partnership.

To begin with, two such institutes were being set up at Rohtak and Faridabad for which prospective entrepreneurs had been short listed and the process was at an advanced stage of finalisation.

UNI