Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur: Undoubtedly, at a macro-level the hospitality industry is showing very positive growth-trends and the trajectory of its growth is very encouraging. The best of global hospitality brands are establishing themselves, investing hugely in India and are expanding their network across the length and breadth of the country. It is certainly very encouraging.

At the same time, the challenges are also growing. We are an integral part of the global village now; political turmoil, travel advisories in one part of the world have a direct and speedy impact on us in India. This was unthinkable just a decade ago! Today, we have to be prepared for all eventualities and face up to these challenges.

On the whole, the interest in India is growing exponentially. Not just India as a destination for business investments, but as a destination for heritage holidays. Over the last two decades, Goa-Rajasthan-and-Kerala have been getting the lion’s share of the tourism business. There is crying need to develop more heritage circuits. Luxury offerings cannot be created overnight.

The challenge is to be ready with long-term plans and short-term campaigns that will highlight the unique advantages of India. Much needs to be done on that front.  

Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur: To answer with a cliché, we are a vast country! Our history, and heritage, is as vast as is our geography. The question will always be: what do you preserve from this vastness? And who takes on the responsibility of preservation? Can we expect the Government to do it, single-handedly? No. That would neither be right nor correct to expect the government of the day to play the role of the saviour.

The governments – at the centre and state – have an enormous role and responsibility in providing the infrastructure, safety and security that makes tourism possible. Better air-linkages, roads and highways, railways: all contribute to more and more tourists. The Smart City programmes are now underway; it has tremendous potential to impact tourism. Safety and security are key issues which are being taken up by the state governments. Food, water and health safety is top-most for tourists, be they domestic or foreign visitors.

Of course, through the efforts of the government and ‘Incredible India’ campaigns, we have been able to cover considerable ground. But the world of luxury heritage is changing. The benchmarks keep shifting and rising higher. This is where a lot more thinking needs to be done before we can embark on an action plan to elevate India’s luxury heritage offerings. I hope conferences, conclaves and brain-storming sessions by industry associations/groups are able to show the road ahead.

Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur: Let’s look at Udaipur, a heritage-city built in the 16th century. It is surrounded by hills, built on the lake-shore, and it is a beautiful city, no doubt: it is a city of peace. Yes, in the 1950s and 1960s it had a population not exceeding 50,000; today, it is almost 750,000+. Naturally, the city’s resources are stretched. And it is showing now. But are we working to make it even more beautiful and sustainable in the 21st century?

Let’s look at what can be done: Saving the Lake Pichola, more afforestation, anti-pollution measures for the air and water, safety of tourists, rigorous building laws. These are key issues which apply through the country; what we are experiencing in Udaipur is what other heritage-cities are also experiencing. We need to wake up to these issues and address them squarely.

When in July 2009, Travel+Leisure voted Udaipur as the ‘best city in the world to visit’, it clearly was a landmark achievement for all stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry. It was also a testimony to the holistic, comprehensive development of the city, growth and enrichment of its local economy and generating greater pride in traditional professions, crafts and culture. Tourism has made Udaipur’s economy more robust than it ever was.

Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur: Udaipur’s infrastructure certainly needs greater and greater attention. The Smart City project is a progressive programme now being rolled out. I have also been actively participating in the Smart City meetings in Udaipur since 2015.

The population pressure on all resources is immense. The government is doing its best to enhance the road, rail and air connectivity; water-and-air pollution are issues that need constant addressing. Housing, electricity and power are needed as the city is an industrial hub. We look forward to more planned growth from the governmental agencies.

‘Safe tourism’ has been our demand and clarion call over the years. Collectively we have to be conscious that our heritage-city continues to grow and welcome tourists, new industries and enterprises, and educational institutions like the IIM. It will all add to Udaipur’s equity as a city.

We also feel various stakeholders within the city should combine to develop infrastructure, but this has to be very sensitively handled so that modernity does not destroy what is sought to be preserved and promoted.

Shriji : Heritage conservation is the heart and soul of the Indian tourism industry. We can never stop highlighting its importance and central role! But we must be clear that heritage conservation is not just about protecting buildings and monuments; heritage is a much wider concept and it encompasses the ecology, way of life, cultural mores, language, cuisine, music and art, traditional crafts. We want to underscore this issue about tangible resources and intangible resources which are essential to preserve our heritage. This is why we have been propagating the concept of ‘living heritage’ in the context of Mewar and Rajasthan.

Shriji : Living heritage is a constantly evolving model of managing heritage and keeping it alive, dynamic and relevant to changing times. It covers both the intangible and tangible forms. Our focus has been on the ‘living heritage’ of Mewar. 

I firmly believe living heritage has the inherent dynamism to trigger development of modern facilities in ancient environments. This development leads to enrichment of local economies, enhancement of quality of life in communities, higher employment generation, stemming of the rural migration to urban areas and generating greater pride in traditional professions, crafts and culture. It injects dignity in heritage and enriches the societal fabric. Living heritage, thus, bestows a distinct identity to those who live by its values and principles and celebrate its authenticity every day.

Shriji : When we look back at the last four decades, we realize that HRH Group pioneered ‘regal weddings’ in heritage venues across the HRH Group’s palace-hotels and sanctuary-resorts.

It was a strategy ahead of its time and required enormous planning and careful implementation on our side. Whether at Shiv Niwas Palace or in the Durbar Hall Sabhagaar, we had to meticulously plan for lavish weddings and banquets, working with different event managers and wedding planners. Today, Udaipur occupies an enviable position as a destination for ‘regal weddings’. We have not only set the trend, but also shown the way for other cities in India to emulate!  

When I was addressing a HICSA conference in Mumbai, a few years ago, I spoke on how the LGBT tourism segment is growing across the world. Now, do we have our strategies in place for this growing business? To stay ahead in hospitality, we have to understand the global and domestic trends and plan accordingly.

Shriji : Being headquartered in Udaipur, one of the most romantic destinations of the world, the HRH Group has an unbelievable locational advantage! These film-makers continue to choose Udaipur as a location because such architectural and natural heritage cannot be recreated within the confines of film-sets. 

For shooting feature films in Hindi, English or regional languages, most film-makers have been making a beeline for Udaipur for many decades now. Yes, over the years, our corporate policies have evolved to accommodate and cater to the demands of film-makers and film production companies.

Be it the blockbusters like’YehJawani Hai Diwani’ or ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, Udaipur and its lakes, palaces have been central to these films. Subhash Ghai’sYaadein that was extensively shot at Jagmandir and Shiv Niwas Palace and so was Mr Akbar Khan’s epic, Taj Mahal. The HRH Group has been able to satisfy the cinematic needs of these great film producers who want to capture the unique architectural beauty of Udaipur’s City Palace complex and the historic venues at Jagmandir island palace, Zenana Mahal and Manek Chowk.

We will have to go way back to 1982 and look at Octopussy, the James Bond blockbuster that was probably the most memorable and endearing film shot in Udaipur. You’d be surprised to know that even today there are many eateries and small restaurants in Udaipur that continue to screen Octopussy, to entertain their guests! Roger Moore as James Bond 007 recently passed away: May he rest in peace.

Yes, the Hollywood blockbuster captured the romance of India through the palaces of Udaipur and its quaint bazaars. Certainly, the film brought in much-needed revenues at that time. But more importantly, it put Udaipur even more firmly on the international map. The picturesque Lake Palace, Jagmandir on Lake Pichola and amazing sky-line of Udaipur became well-known throughout the world. The impact of Octopussy, is certainly far-reaching.

Since the 1960s, films like Guide, Mera Saya andJalmahal have been shot on location in Udaipur; there was also an European film  -‘Christmas in India’ – shot here. For the HRH Group, our focus has always been on ‘developing the heritage destination’; film shoots have evolved into becoming an effective way of keeping Udaipur, Kumbhalgarh, Ranakpur, Gajner, Bikaner and Jaisalmer top-of-the-mind for audiences throughout the world.

Gajner Palace, near Bikaner, is another fascinating palace complex where feature films and music videos have been shot. It’s bewitching by day and absolutely magical by night, thus giving the film-director so many more options to shoot.

The Aodhi in Kumbhalgarh and Shikarbadi Hotel in Udaipur are the rugged sanctuary-resorts where film-makers prefer to shoot dramatic scenes or film-songs. It’s not just Bollywood films, we are now being constantly approached by film-makers from Chennai and Hyderabad who are equally enamoured by the historic venues of HRH Group.

Shriji : Yes, the future is a challenge for the global hospitality industry; we are looking ahead to working closer with our associates and partners to ensure long-term sustainability. There may be major alliances that would be formalized and announced at an appropriate time.

For the present, Fateh Prakash Palace Convention Centre has thrown open its doors and is today giving Udaipur the much-needed infrastructure to cater to the MICE market requirements. You’d be happy to note that leading governmental organizations and MNCs have been utilizing the conference hall facilities and break-away rooms created. Fateh Prakash Palace has transformed itself into the 21st century but continues to retain its character as a private palace dedicated to the life and times of Maharana Fateh Singhji, one of Mewar’s greatest Custodians in the early 20th century.

Shriji : Lakshyaraj, my son, is shaping up well and slowly taking on the responsibilities for different activities as the Executive Director of HRH Group of Hotels. He studied hospitality at Blue Mountains International Hospitality Management School  in Australia and went through rigorous training. At Jagmandir Island Palace, as Executive General Manager, he was in-charge of the revitalization of the 17th-century island palace; and proved

himself to be a good team-leader through 2007-09. He has become adept at handling security technologies, agencies and working with different people. Now he is overseeing sales and operations from Udaipur and across Rajasthan at the HRH Group hotels. International exposure of travel marts and B2B conferences are adding to his confidence and learning process.

Shriji :Nothing can be more satisfying than a job well done. It gives me great pleasure to work on the details of our projects. Yes, unwinding every day in the evening in the company of friends and family, watching cricket on television and sharing a hearty dinner. Laughter and good food marks the end of a day for which one is thankful to the Almighty!