Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that State Government was endeavouring to provide adequate facilities to the tourists visiting the State.Chief Minister was addressing the members of Shimla Hoteliers Association organized on the occasion of World Tourism Day here last evening.The Chief Minister said that nature has blessed Himachal Pradesh with natural beauty and different kinds of tourism potential which needed to be harnessed. He said that State Government was making all out efforts to tap it and make the State as one of the favourite destination of the country.Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government had made a provision of Rs. 50 crore first time in the budget for promotion of the tourism activities in the State. He urged the private hoteliers to provide quality professional services to the tourists visiting the State so that they could act as brand ambassadors to promote tourism industry in the State.He thanked the Union Government for reducing corporate tax rates on hotels and outdoor catering. He said that the Union Government has decided to levy no GST on hotel rooms with the tariffs upto Rs. 1000 and had decided to levy 12 percent GST on hotel rooms with tariffs ranging from 1001 to Rs. 7500.
Similarly the Government had decided to reduce GST on hotel rooms with tariff of Rs. 7501 and above from existing 28 percent to 18 percent. He said that GST on outdoor catering has been reduced from 18 percent to 5 percent. He said that this would give much needed boost to the tourism industry and facilitate the tourists.Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government had decided to organize global investors meet on 7th and 8th November, 2019 at Dharamshala to woo the entrepreneurs to invest in the State. He said that it was a healthy sign to see that 195 MoUs worth Rs. 12368 crore have been signed in tourism sector alone till date which was second highest after power sector. He said that once these investments come into reality it would not only transform the economy of the State but also provide ample employment opportunities to thousands of the youth of the State besides self employment avenues.President Shimla Hoteliers Association Sanjay Sood while welcoming the Chief Minister and other dignitaries thanked the Union Government for bringing down the GST on hotel tariffs.Noted Hotelier of Shimla Mukesh Malhotra proposed vote of thanks.Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Chief Secretary Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Additional Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, Principal Secretaries, J.C. Sharma and Onkar Sharma, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Sanjay Kundu, Secretaries C. Paulrasu and Amitabh Awasthi, Director Tourism Yunus and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.