Hospitality sector gets boost as Amritsar hosts G20 Summit

Neeraj Bagga

Amritsar, March 18

Hospitality players are upbeat over the holding of an international summit like the G20 and delivery of quality infrastructure in its run-up, anticipating the opening of new vistas.

Room occupancy recorded a spike in the luxury segment of hotels but its long-term impact may prove to be encouraging for the industry, according to experts.

Kanwaljit Singh, a hotelier, said all city-based luxury hotels were booked to their capacity. About 300 rooms have been booked by the government itself. So far, religious tourism has been the mainstay of the hospitality industry in the city. The international summit has opened the city to hosting general tourism, corporate meetings, seminars and other events. It will catapult the holy city into the league of mega cities of North India.

For the development of any city, tourism is the best form of industry as it requires excellent surface infrastructure, beautiful spaces, green parks and scenic sites. On the other hand, the tourism industry does not generate pollution and in return offers plenty of job opportunities and business to a large section.

The summit may not have boosted room occupancy in hotels and guest-houses around the Golden Temple but hotel owners there expect a positive outcome in the long run.

Ranjit Singh, a hotelier, said chances of its finding success in the long run were more provided the government played a proactive role in building up the industry. Those tourists sites which have not been performing well could be identified and promoted by holding an event there. For example, Urban Haat, which was raised at the abandoned 124-year-old Government Victoria Jubilee Memorial Hospital, could host an event celebrating Amritsar’s cuisine.

Developed as a replica of Lahore’s food street, it has not been performing as expected. The G20 summit could prove a game-changer for the Urban Haat. Spread over 4.5 acres, the Urban Haat has provision for an open air theatre, surrounded by fountains with lighting effects and ample parking lot with two sides opening.