Buoyed by interim Budget, Amritsar’s tourism industry expects to gain from incentives

Amritsar, February 2

The tourism industry of the holy city expects to gain from the interim Budget released yesterday as various incentives have been offered to the hospitality sector.

Piyush Kapoor, vice president, Amritsar Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHARA), said 48 per cent rise in budgetary allocation for the tourism industry was encouraging. He said it would bolster the local industry. He said the information about proportion of funds allocated for the city and in which aspect these would be invested was awaited.

APS Chatha, president, AHARA, said the Budget focused on the promotion of domestic tourism. It was a laudable move. However, keeping in view the nature of visitors coming to the city of the Golden Temple it was necessary to fine-tune the overseas tourism policy as well. A large number of NRI population of Punjabi descent was residing in Canada, the UK and the USA. He said they must be encouraged to travel to the holy city. The next generation of the Punjabi NRIs born and brought up abroad should also be encouraged to stay in touch with their roots, he said.