Good response to liquor permit scheme in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD - Just days after visitors were allowed to buy liquor at the domestic airport and selected hotels here, Gujarat Tourism Secretary Vipul Mitra said the response has been “enthusiastic” and efforts will be made to remove all “impediments” to attract more tourists to the state.

He said the liquor permits will be extended to other places as well.

The visitors were permitted to buy liquor from the arrival lounge at the Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat, India’s only state where sale and consumption of alcohol is banned, last week. The authorities also allowed the visitors to consume liquor in the place they reside.

“There has been an enthusiastic response to the move. It is our duty to remove all the impediments that obstruct the tourist from coming to the state and this is an extension of our resolve to provide good service to them,” Mitra said late Sunday.

“Facilities of such permits will be extended at other airports in the state as well. We are in discussions with the airport authorities,” he said after launching cambaytours.com, a tour and travel portal of the Neesa group here.

Liquor prohibition in Gujarat has been a major handicap for both the leisure and business travellers. Possession of liquor and its consumption without valid permit is a non-bailable offence in Gujarat.

“The step has been taken to remove any handicap that may be there in encouraging tourism,” Mitra said.

Mitra also said that the Gujarat government will unveil a new and comprehensive tourism policy soon to encourage private participation and investment in the state.

Though he declined to spell out the details of the policy in view of the impending state assembly session, Mitra said the stress would be on encouraging private enterprise, identifying new streams and places and developing the infrastructure that gives an added impetus to tourism in the state.