| With
close to a billion inhabitants, India is the world’s
second most populous country. Its fast growing middle class
is estimated at between 200-250 million. Official reports
indicate that the economy has been expanding by nearly 6
per cent per annum and the demand for both leisure and business
related travel may be expected to increase accordingly.
In 1991 the Union Government set aside decades of protectionism
and restrictive practices in a bid to encourage foreign
investment. Yet according to an international hotel consulting
firm India remains a ‘sleeping giant’ (Thadani
1998:3). Despite its large size and vast population leading
analysts still class India as a “secondary”
Asian destination (Muqbil 1995). This article examines the
recent performance of India’s hotel sector and its
prospects for the future. |
