Gujarat must dole out more liquor licenses, demand hoteliers

Ahmedabad, Mar 15 (UNI) The Hotels and Restaurant Association (Western Region) today demanded the Gujarat Government must give a go-ahead for more licenced liquor shops and make available bar licenses as part of its efforts to boost tourism in the state.

Mr Jehangir Cama, who represents Gujarat in the Association, said the hotel industry was not looking at its own profits alone but wanted to provide tourists the facilities and lifestyle they are accustomed to.

''The limited relaxation that the state government announced recently is most welcome. With the economy boom and more investors evincing interest in the state, several trade delegations come to Gujarat to explore opportunities and work out deals. They have to stay in the state for long periods. They need to avail the same facilities they are accustomed to,'' Mr Cama, who owns the city's oldest luxury hotel, 'Hotel Cama' said at a press conference here.

He regretted that the successive governments in the state had neglected the tourism sector. ''After all these years, the present state government had recognised the fact that tourism is not an elitist but an economic activity and announced several plans to facilitate further growth in the hospitality sector.'' Mr Cama was talking to reporters ahead of the Association's 14th Convention, that gets underway on March 17.

Also speaking on the occasion, Mr Sunit Kothari of the convention organising committee, said lack of publicity about Gujarat's tourist hotspots was the main reason why the state has been lagging behind in the hospitality sector. ''A small state like Kerala, spent about Rs 20 to 25 crore just on publicity and branding itself as the God's own couuntry. It did not have much historical monuments to boast of and pegged its campaign on Ayurveda.'' MORE UNI MMG PM SKB AKJ RN1550