Spend more on infra, less on advertising: Par panel to tourism ministry

A parliamentary standing committee has suggested spending more on infrastructure development, while cautioning the ministry of tourism against raising the expectations of tourists through advertisements and not matching them with the actual experience.
The parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture in its report on the Demands for Grants of the ministry of tourism tabled today in both the Houses said allocations made under overseas promotion and publicity should be utilized scrupulously for continuing the overseas campaign so that more foreign tourists are attracted.
"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," the report read.

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.