New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) “We should look through the eyes of tourists about what they expect from us,” Tourism Minister Kumari Selja said here Wednesday, calling upon experts and all stakeholders to help put India on the world tourism map.
“We need good hotels, infrastructure, connectivity for tourists. We have to specially think about tourism infrastructure in view of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. We should take it as an opportunity and a boon for us,” said Selja while inaugurating a workshop on World Class Tourism Infrastructure.

“I call upon experts and stakeholders in the tourism sector to develop world class tourism infrastructure for putting India’s tourism industry on the world tourism map,” she added.

“We should look at comprehensive development of infrastructure which includes roads, water, sanitation, cleanliness, hygiene, proper lighting, landscape, signages and proper maintenance of tourism destinations and heritage sites,” she said.

“We have to see the tourism industry from the point of view of tourists rather than our officialdom,” she said.

She said her ministry, through rural tourism projects, is evolving a system to bring villages of the country on the main tourist map.

Selja said that world class tourism infrastructure facilities should not be limited to cities like Delhi but also should reach far-flung areas of the country.

The main objective of the one-day workshop was to develop world class tourism infrastructure in consultation with architects, engineering organisations, tourism managers and consultants.

The participants of the workshop included heads of the engineering departments of implementing agencies in the states and union territories, officers from the tourism ministry and experts from agencies like INTACH, CPWD, RITES, NBCC, HUDCO and ITDC.

Said Selja: “We are looking at all aspects of the Commonwealth Games such as security, sanitation, comfort and zero harassment to tourists. Games are a matter of pride for our country.”

“I talked to Minister of Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath about developing the golden triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) as hassle free so that tourists can have seamless travel. He has shown a very positive response to that,” she told reporters later.

“I also talked to the minister about developing wayside amenities on highways,” she added.