KUMARI Selja is the young and dynamic tourism minister in the UPA government. Gung ho that Indian tourism has turned the corner after the double whammy of the global economic meltdown and the dreadful 26/11 terror attacks which targeted iconic Indian hospitality centres, she is buoyed by the fact that tourism in India has begun to show signs of recovery with tourist arrivals growing by 21 per cent in December 2009. "The quantum jump in foreign direct investment in the hotel and tourism sector in the years 2008 and 2009 is also indicative of the positive scenario. Most of the major international hotel chains including Starwood, Hilton, Carlson, etc. have either already come to India or are in the process of doing so," says Selja.

In an extensive interview with SportzPower's Sandeep Bamzai, she explains the imperatives behind new thrusts in the tourism campaigns to tie up with the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, when India expects an additional 100,000 tourists.

How are we beefing up the tourism infrastructure in Delhi for the 2010 Games, as also in the golden triangle where a lot of tourists are expected?
Hosting a mega sporting event by any country has given its tourism sector a great boost. The XIX Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in 2010 offers a great opportunity for India to showcase its diversified culture, rich heritage and vast history to the world. The Ministry of Tourism has taken initiatives to beef up tourism infrastructure in and around Delhi for the Games.

It is estimated that there will be a requirement of additional 30,000 hotel rooms. We are actively monitoring the creation of additional accommodation for the Games.  Further, measures are being initiated to augment hotel accommodation, particularly in Delhi, along with other major metros and tourist destinations in the country.   A “Bed & Breakfast” Scheme, to accord the tourists the opportunity to stay with an Indian Family and experience the customs and traditions, has been launched recently.

A common ticketing system for the tourists visiting various monuments in Delhi has also been introduced by the Archaeological Survey of India.

We have also taken several initiatives to bridge the gap between demand and supply of trained manpower resources in the Hospitality and Travel Sectors, which include: -
a.    Providing trained volunteers to the Hospitality Sector to meet the requirements during the Games under the “Earn While You Learn” Scheme.
b.    Imparting training to taxi, coach and auto rickshaw drivers with the objective of making them more tourist friendly.
c.    Imparting training to owners and service staff of the approved Guest Houses in Delhi so that there is a quality improvement in the services being provided.

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has agreed to implement Centralised Collection of Road Taxes in the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur to facilitate seamless flow of tourist vehicles in view of the upcoming CWG-2010.

Further, a number of historical monuments in and around Delhi are being illuminated with a view to exhibit its rich culture and heritage.  We have also sanctioned seven projects for development of tourism infrastructure during the current financial year 2009-10.