Ranjit Chaudhury at his office in Ranchi. Picture by Arun Kumar Thakur

A member of the Hotel and Catering International Management Association, a hospitality forum in England, Ranjit Chaudhury has worked wonders for Hotel Ranchi Ashok in his capacity as general manager. After taking charge of the India Tourism Development Corporation-run hotel on August 1, 2003, he helped it post profits for the first time in 2003-04. He followed it up with another impressive performance in the next fiscal.

A man with more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including the 1982 Asian Games, Chaudhury talks about hotels in Jharkhand and their future in an interview with Arun Kumar Thakur.

• What is your assessment of the hotel and catering industry in Ranchi?

First of all, Ranchi needs a five-star hotel as there is a growing demand for one. Besides, the three-star and four-star hotels have reached the saturation level. The city also lacks in quality restaurants for the middle-class. Hotels like Ranchi Ashok and Capitol Hill are perceived by the middle-class as too expensive. Such a perception may be wrong on many counts, but it is there nevertheless.

• What is the yardstick for a good restaurant?

A good restaurant gives good value for money, besides boasting of dishes that become ?hot favourites? with time. By value for money, I mean the right blend of quality and quantity. There are some restaurants that serve quality food but the quantity is not sufficient.

• Where does tourism as an industry stand in this state?

The state has everything except beaches and snow peaks?. yet, hotels in Ranchi are surviving, or depending, on business tourists. I would say 98 per cent of the tourists who stay in the hotels here come for business purposes. There is no leisure tourism here, at least in my experience. Imagine a resort-like Hotel Ranchi Ashok in the capital, which is the railhead for places like Netarhat, Betla, and other tourist centres.

• What has gone wrong?

Though in my two years here I have heard of only two or three cases of tourists being robbed, yet, some sort of media-generated ?fear psychosis? prevails. Tourists ? both in Jharkhand and from outside ? feel that the state is not safe for them. It is difficult to counter such a fear and people always enquire if it is safe to come here.

• Can something be done to change this attitude?

A campaign needs to be launched to counter this. Jharkhand should be marketed as a tourist destination. In fact, forests and hills should be the main themes while selling the tourism potential of the state. Most people love the serenity of forests.

• What else can be done?

Besides providing security, you have to improve communication and the condition of roads. For example, Netarhat is the nearest hill station to the state capital but there is no proper road on a 40-km stretch. Then, Dalma, known for elephants, does not have a tourist bungalow. One has to approach Tata Steel for a room in their guest house.

The state has tremendous scope for adventure tourism because of its forests and hills. One can go for trekking, para-gliding or para-sailing. Then, there can be circuits for religion tourism, linking Dumka, Deoghar, Parasnath and so on. One can also think of using old and abandoned mines for ?mining tourism?. Places like Rajmahal and Pakur can be developed to attract archaeology enthusiasts.

• Do you think the tourism department is up to the task?

They (the officials) are making a sincere effort but the development of tourism depends on other departments as well. The departments of road construction and drinking water and the police administration have a key role to play in the development of tourism.

A number of projects are taking shape for the good. For example, a state-run hotel management and catering institute is coming up at Adityapur in Jamshedpur. The institute will train local youths and enable them to find jobs in this sector.

• Is it true that tourism provides ample opportunities for employment?

In today?s world, tourism is the best and highest employment generator. In Jharkhand, too, growth of tourism as an industry will generate opportunities for both direct and indirect employment. Perhaps, that may also help lure youths away from extremism.

It works like this.... a tourist comes to Ranchi on his way to Netarhat. He spends money at both places. He spends money during the journey ? at a dhaba, for example ? also. The owner of the dhaba has to arrange for a number of items for the customer. He, too, spends money. It goes on like a long chain.

• What are your plans for Hotel Ranchi Ashok?

A modernisation and renovation project is underway. Once that gets over, more rooms will be added. Soon, there will be no carpeted rooms here because it has been found that the atmosphere in Ranchi is not suitable for them.