PM urges US-based 'Hotel Motel Patels' to boost Indian tourism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged the Patel community living in the United States of America (USA) to promote Indian tourism.

While addressing the International Convention of Saurashtra Patel Cultural Samaj of USA through video conference, the Prime Minister said, "You people are known as 'hotel motel patel wallas', can each one of you influence five people to visit India? Whenever you get guests in hotel/motel you can put five minutes clip on Indian tourism on TV, when they open TV they will be able to see what India is."

Prime Minister also praised the Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) living abroad for making India proud and asserted that the strength and respect of the Indian Passport has increased worldwide.

"NRIs living abroad are making India Proud. The strength and respect of the Indian Passport has increased," he said.

When Prime Minister Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat, he had asked each Non-Resident Gujarati (NRG) living abroad to inspire at least 15 non-Gujarati Indians or Americans to tour a new 'Vibrant Gujarat' and help the state's tourism industry flourish.

From motel chains across the US to corner stores in the UK, the Gujarati clan has often been at the forefront of the Indian diaspora's expansion.

According to reports, the "Patel motel" phenomenon began in the 1960s when immigrants from Gujarat entered into the US motel industry.

A 2014 article in the reputed Smithsonian magazine said that at least half of America's motels are owned by Indian-Americans of which 70 percent are Gujarati.