In a significant move to enhance India's tourism and hospitality sector, the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), one of the world's largest hospitality associations, inaugurated its Centre of Excellence at the FHRAI office. Suman Billa, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, led the inauguration alongside several senior industry leaders.

The newly established Centre of Excellence (CoE) is designed to drive research, knowledge sharing, and strategic collaborations within the industry, positioning itself as an innovative think tank. By focusing on research and data-driven insights, the CoE aims to provide the tourism and hospitality industry with the tools needed for informed decision-making, which will support advocacy and foster growth. Through its initiatives, FHRAI envisions building a bridge between industry stakeholders and policymakers to address the sector's unique challenges and drive positive transformation.

In his address, Suman Billa underscored the importance of reliable data in shaping policy and guiding industry growth. "Research and data are crucial in an industry as vast and multifaceted as tourism," he stated. "Government data offers a base, but capturing a comprehensive picture requires insights from industry bodies and organizations like the World Tourism Organization. The Centre of Excellence will help us pool various data sources to provide a robust understanding of our industry, ultimately guiding government policy and bolstering sector resilience in an increasingly competitive global market."

Pradeep Shetty, President of FHRAI, highlighted the Centre's role in overcoming existing hurdles, including policy formulation and business operations challenges. "This Centre has been a long-standing goal for our federation, especially as we often face obstacles in policy advocacy," Shetty remarked. "The CoE will allow us to back our recommendations with solid data, representing our industry more effectively to the government. We aim to enhance hospitality standards and support a data-informed approach to industry reforms, benefitting members and the wider hospitality community."

Garish Oberoi of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Northern India emphasized the need for focused data to address regional issues and streamline policy efforts. "The Centre of Excellence is a crucial resource for gathering and analyzing data specific to our industry," Oberoi stated. "We are committed to conducting state-centric research and producing insightful white papers to guide advocacy efforts and foster growth in the hospitality sector."