Hotel industry to be exempted from entertainment tax in U'kand

Hotel industry in Uttarakhand will be exempted from paying entertainment tax to bolster tourism in the hill state.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat made the announcement at a meeting of Hotel and Restaurant Association in Mussoorie yesterday.
He said that incentivising the hotel industry is a must as it has a big role to play in promotion of tourism which is the mainstay of the state's economy.
There are still a number of unexplored areas with great tourism potential in Uttarakhand and all the stakeholders including the hospitality industry has a crucial role to play in their popularisation, he added.

"When it comes to tourism in Uttarakhand, our thoughts do not usually go beyond popular destinations like Mussoorie and Nainital. But there are many more spots of tremendous natural beauty in Uttarakhand which remain unexplored.
"They need to be found out, publicised and marketed. Hoteliers can play a significant role in this," Rawat said.
The chief minister said a single window system to lure investment in the sector is being put in place with District Magistrates empowered to clear investment proposals worth upto Rs 10 crore at their own level.