Friday, April 8 2005 15:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Advocating an integrated response by the Government to meet the multiple requirements of tourism sector, President A P J Abdul Kalam today (Apr 8, 2005) said that the model pursued by the Maldives could suit promotion of Island tourism in Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar in the country.

Maldives gives the islands for development, as tourist spot on lease to private enterprises that in turn invest and develop the whole Island with self-contained resorts.

There was no Government investment needed for the project, he said, adding that Maldives had attracted tourists twice its population last year (2004).

"The Indian tourism organisation can study this model and evolve Island tourism in Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar," Kalam said, inaugurating the Fifth Global Travel and Tourism Summit in New Delhi.

In Lakshadweep, the country could also provide hinterland tourist package due its nearness to Kerala, giving an additional promotional proposition to the tourism industry, he said.

"As in the case of Maldives, there is a need to find special methods by which the tourist infrastructure can be created and maintained at an optimal level of performance," he told a galaxy of key players in the travel and tourism industry.

Recalling his visit to Dubai last year, the President said that the Ruler of Dubai had expressed his intention to increase the tourist arrival by five times. Once this decision was taken, a whole lot of Ministries such as aviation, surface transport, works and health got activated, he said.

"This was the type of integrated response that I found in the whole Government to fulfil the national objective. We have to take the message coming out of this experience and plan for the multiple requirements simultaneously for promoting tourism in our country," Kalam said.

Noting that the present tourist arrival in the country was only 3.7 million despite a variety of destinations available, he said that a strategy should be worked out to increase the tourist arrivals to at lest 15 million in five years and 25 million in ten years.

It was important to promote multinational tourism in specific areas with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries; he said, adding promotion of multinational spiritual tourism connecting important Buddhist centres in India, Nepal and Thailand operated by a single airline could also be considered.

He suggested an inter-ministerial coordination system for the development of infrastructure in terms of hotels, road connectivity, air connectivity, communication; IT enabled services, healthcare and human resource development. "It is essential to Build, Own, Operate tourism as a public- private partnership venture," he said.