TravTalk India Online Magazine
In a first, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India recently signed an MoU with the J&K government to develop hospitality and related infrastructure in the UT. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, FHRAI, signed the MoU on behalf of the hospitality industry.
The third largest hospitality association in the world and India’s apex hospitality association, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), has signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir (J & K) to promote hospitality and related infrastructure in the Union Territory.
This is the first time in history that a joint MoU has been signed between an association of hotels and restaurants and the government. The MoU was signed on December 27 at the Real Estate Summit 2021, jointly organised by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the Government of India and the National Real Development Council (NAREDCO) at the Jammu Convention Centre.
Thirty-nine MoUs were signed for the development of housing, hotel and commercial projects. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, FHRAI, represented the hospitality industry at the event and signed the joint MoU.
Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs and Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for the PMO, were also present at the event, which focused on providing an effective platform to showcase potential real estate investment opportunities. Intensive discussions were held on the policy and regulatory framework at the event.
Kohli said, “FHRAI is honoured to have received the opportunity to represent the hospitality industry. We thank the MoHUA, the J&K Government and NAREDCO for inviting us and signing the MoU to develop hospitality and related infrastructure in the region. J&K is a very promising venue with wonderful people and a hospitality-friendly ecosystem. With this MoU, we look forward to strengthening further the public-private partnership in the region to leverage the enormous potential the region has to offer for hospitality and tourism. We are hopeful that this will facilitate the J & K government providing land to FHRAI members for various projects and extend incentives and other benefits as per existing policies and rules. New developments in hospitality will give a strong push to economic growth through increased investments and will create more employment opportunities in the region.”
At the event, Kohli stressed the need to promote the region as an untapped destination for growth in infrastructure, tourism, hospitality and real estate. The panel discussion witnessed participation from Rohit Kansal, Secretary-Information Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir; Sarmed Hafez, Secretary-Tourism Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir; Anoo Malhotra, Director-I & C, Jammu; Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Director-I & C, Jammu; and Sanjay Sethi, MD & CEO-Chalet Hotels.
