- Asks Govt to lower sales tax on aviation industry
Calling for having a fully functional Srinagar airport, President of the InterGlobe Aviation Limited, DBA IndiGo, Aditya Ghosh Tuesday said there was need to have a 24-hour operational Srinagar airport despite security issues.
Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural event of the 64th Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) convention at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, Ghosh called for the need to reimagine the aviation industry and the travel and tourism market.
The TAAI convention is being held in Kashmir after 31 years, the last one having been held in 1987 and this was the third time TAAI held its convention in Kashmir after the first one in 1984.
He said if the government lowers sales tax on the aviation industry and keeps the Srinagar airport functional 24×7, it would help create more jobs in the sector.
“If the airport remains functional 24×7, what stops us from parking planes here, starting early morning and late night flights, and creating more jobs,” Ghosh said.
Urging the government that it should lay emphasis on providing an enabling environment rather than creating infrastructure for tourism, he said once the environment for tourism is conducive, the private tourist players would themselves create the infrastructure.
Terming Kashmir a place that was dear to his heart, the IndiGo chief said he was delighted to be in the Valley.
Stressing that places which one does not usually associate with huge tourist arrivals like Andhra Pradesh had seen 250 percent increase in air traffic during the past two years while Bhubneshwar had also seen a 250 percent increase during the past 5 years, he said this was done by reimagining the aviation landscape.
