Spend more on infrastructure development rather than on advertisements, a Parliamentary Standing panel has advised the Union Ministry of Tourism.
“We need to spend more money on infrastructure and lesser on advertising. It should not be a case of raising high expectations with our campaigns but the experience not matching up,” said the panel on transport, tourism and culture in its report on the Demands for Grants of the ministry of tourism tabled on Tuesday in both the Houses.
It said allocations made under overseas promotion and publicity should be utilised scrupulously
for continuing the overseas campaign so that more foreign tourists are attracted.
The committee, headed by Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’ Brien, noted that “overseas promotion and publicity, including market development assistance”, has been allocated Rs 454.25 crore in Budget estimates 2018-2019 against Rs 297.59 crore in revised estimates 2017-2018 whereas the actual expenses under the head in 2016-2017 was Rs 194.44 crore.
The committee also asked the Ministry to have a re-look at the necessity of various tourism promotion offices abroad and the efficacy of various officials under overseas promotion and publicity.
It also proposed that the Ministry hire professionals to identify bottlenecks and problems of various tourism places and related policies.
The Committee noted that the size of the campaign is increased to have India’s Presence in global market for longer duration. Tourism campaigns, like Incredible India 2.0 Campaign, are not only economic tools designed to augment tourist revenues, but they also provide a privileged platform for advancing geopolitical interests through affective and symbolic means.
The Committee also asked the Ministry to concentrate more on younger generations and the generation next in its Incredible India 2.0 Campaign and the publicity and promotion activities.