Mumbai : According to a report, speaking at the ongoing Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) convention in Agra, Kumari Selja, Union Minister for Tourism said that her Ministry is working on a incentive/subsidy scheme to encourage setting up of budget accommodation through adoption of PPP model.

This will address the core issue of non availability of land and high establishment cost. Selja said, "We have been requesting the state governments to create land banks and have also been advocating the enhancement of floor area ratio (FAR) for hotels, as well as encouraging mixed usage of plot area," added Selja.

She mentioned that while India has positioned itself as a chosen destination for high-end luxury travellers, there still exists a gap between supply and demand and to bridge this gap more hotel rooms are needed. "We need to address the mid-segment and budget travellers also. The main issue which needs to be tackled is the shortage of safe, secure and clean accommodation all over the country, especially in the budget category. The exorbitant cost of land forces hotels to operate under higher star categories in order to make them commercially viable," state Selja.

Referring to the theme of the convention 'Health and Wellness' she said that tourism potential of our wellness systems, developed indigenously through centuries of wisdom, is yet to be fully tapped. "We have to position the Indian way of life as integral and inclusive of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha Naturopathy and spiritual philosophy. We have to position this product as a comprehensive approach for body, mind and soul.