The hospitality and tourism industry in india: conclusions and solutions

The hospitality and tourism

industry in India: conclusions

and solutions

Vinnie Jauhari

HP Labs Open Innovation Office, Hewlett-Packard India, Gurgaon, India

Abstract

Purpose – The paper aims to present answers to the strategic question: what contribution will

hospitality and tourism make in securing sustainable economic growth in India? It attempts to

integrate the conclusions of the six articles contributed by industry experts to the Worldwide

Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) issue on hospitality and tourism in India.

Design/methodology/approach – The approach is to integrate the findings and recommendations

from the six articles and to include the issues and suggestions that were made by practitioners and

academics at the theme issue roundtable discussion.

Findings – While discussing the overall challenges to the hospitality and tourism in India, the

practitioners suggested measures which if addressed, could stimulate economic growth not only in this

industry but also for India’s economy as a whole. The most significant factors affecting hospitality and

tourism in India are: infrastructure management; government policy; workforce issues and education

in hospitality and tourism; strategies for growth; crisis management; the management of destinations

in India and the deployment of online techniques for marketing.

Originality/value – This paper provides a consolidated view from industry as well as academia and

also makes suggestions that would help to develop the hospitality and tourism industry in India.

Keywords Hospitality services, Tourism, India, Business development

Paper type Viewpoint

Introduction

This paper aims to provide answers to the strategic question: what contribution will

hospitality and tourism make in securing sustainable economic growth in India? The

paper provides a concise overview of key aspects to be addressed by the hospitality

and tourism industry in relation to its potential contribution to sustainable economic

growth in India. It also provides recommendations to address some of the key issues

raised by practitioners during the roundtable discussion. In doing, the paper also

reconciles the issues and recommendations made in various research papers featuring

in this special issue.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/1755-4217.htm

The author gratefully acknowledges the support received from the IIMT and especially from

Professor Kamal Manaktola, The Director of IIMT who coordinated the roundtable

arrangements and discussion. The author should also like to express our gratitude to the staff

of IIMT and to Mr Mandeep S. Lamba, Managing Director, Dawney Day Hotels India Pvt. Ltd,

Ms Neesha Mohapatra, Leela Palaces Hotels and Resorts, Mr Harish Chandra and Mr Romesh

Kaul, Hospitality Consultant.

Hospitality

and tourism

industry in India

75

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism

Themes

Vol. 1 No. 1, 2009

pp. 75-80

q Emerald Group Publishing Limited

1755-4217

DOI 10.1108/17554210910949904