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HOSPITALITY BIZ n FEBRUARY, 2025WWW.HOSPITALITYBIZINDIA.COMEXPERT SPEAK 19Every year it seems to me that the markets work themselves into a frenzy of anticipation around the advent of the budget. The presentation of the budget is then followed by a series of pontifications by industry experts, opining on the impact or lack thereof of their sector, after which everyone returns to the tasks at hand and life usually goes on as normal.This is particularly true I believe about the hospitality sector. Forgive me for a sense of resignation, but I have long given up expecting any significant breaks for our sector. The best we can hope for is for no additional taxes or levies, and with that, we are if we are honest usually satisfied. While the hospitality industry is a huge source of employment and therefore a key player in the economic and social fabric of the country, the produce of the hospitality sector particularly in the organized sector is seen as at best catering to the elite at worst countenancing social sins as perceived by some. This ambivalence to our industry is seen in the government%u2019s lip service to the sector, while in reality treating it as a necessary evil. Industry status could of course be quite easily given with little or no hoopla as the line between the development of hotels and real estate is a very fine one if at all. However, any relief in taxes, would undoubtedly raise a hue and cry from the so-called socialists, who enjoy five-star hospitality, but would never admit it. Therefore, it is too much to expect the government to spend social capital for what is erroneously seen as a rich man%u2019s indulgence. Only when the lens itself through which hospitality is viewed changes, can we hope for any significant incentives or tax breaks.It would appear that we have escaped relatively unscathed this year and for that let us be thankful, and let us continue to live in hope, hopefully not in the sense the Webster dictionary defines the term as in %u2018to hope for something when one knows it will probably not happen or be true%u2019 nThe views expressed within this column are the opinion of the author, and may not necessarily be endorsed by the publication.Much Ado about nothingBy Nathan Andrews, Author & Hospitality ConsultantNEWS BULLETINHBI Staff | HyderabadUttar Pradesh has attracted investment proposals worth INR 1 trillion in its hospitality sector over the past two years, fueling the development of hotels, resorts, guesthouses, wellness centers, and homestays across its 75 districts. Religious and spiritual hubs like Ayodhya, Varanasi, and Prayagraj, along with tourism hotspots such as Lucknow, Agra, Kanpur, and Noida, are at the forefront of this growth.Ayodhya is set to add 10 new hotels, while Varanasi will see the establishment of 12 properties, reflecting the increasing demand driven by the consecration of the Lord Ram temple in 2024, which attracted 16.4 million pilgrims in that year alone.This surge in investments is aligned with the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Policy 2022, which aims to enhance tourism infrastructure in partnership with the private sector. Following the success of the Global Investors Summit in 2023, major hospitality brands like the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), under the Taj Group, have committed to expanding in the region. IHCL plans to open a luxury Taj property in Ayodhya, collaborating with the Solitaire Group to cater to the rising influx of pilgrims and tourists. nUttar Pradesh secures INR 1 Trillion in hospitality investments,Ayodhya and Varanasi in focus