Selja calls for world class tourism infrastructure

New Delhi, Aug 19 (ANI): Kumari Selja has called upon experts and stakeholders in the tourism sector to develop world class tourism infrastructure for putting India's tourism industry on the world tourism map.

Inaugurating a workshop on the subject here today she said, "We should look at comprehensive development of infrastructure which includes roads, water, sanitation, cleanliness, hygiene, proper lighting, landscape, signages and proper maintenance of tourism destinations and heritage sites."

She said tourism and hospitality sectors contributes six per cent of the GDP and certain streamlining is required in infrastructure facilities.

The Minister said during the Commonwealth Games 2010 about one lakh visitors are expected in the country and this gives us an opportunity to have a relook on the present status of the physical infrastructure for the tourists.

Selja said, world class tourism infrastructure facilities should not be limited in cities like Delhi but also in far flung areas of the country.

She said her Ministry through rural tourism projects is evolving a system to bring villages of the country on the main tourist map.

"We must set indicators for ourselves to see if everything is going fine on the infrastructure front for the visitors. We have to see tourism industry from the point of view of tourists rather than our officialdom," she added.

She also said that there must be better inter-ministerial coordination and conversion of scheme for development of infrastructure to have the desired results. (ANI)