India aims to become a developed economy by 2047, and tourism is expected to play a significant role in achieving that goal. But while the country continues to open up new destinations and attract more travellers, its hospitality industry is still grappling with some familiar challenges. Building hotels can be a lengthy process, infrastructure remains uneven across destinations, and the gap between tourism potential and on-ground experiences is often difficult to ignore.
These concerns took centre stage at the 7th HAI Hoteliers’ Conclave in New Delhi on September 18. Organised by the Hotel Association of India at the Taj Palace, the event brought together hospitality professionals, government officials and tourism stakeholders to discuss what needs to change for India to make tourism a larger contributor to its economy.
The conversations were held under the theme ‘Re-Engineering Hospitality’, but much of the discussion came down to a practical question: what will it take to make it easier to invest in, build and operate hotels across the country?