Spa Wellness Industry

INVESTMENT POTENTIAL IN THAI SPA AND HOTEL RESTAURANT BUSINESS IN INDIA

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IMRB International

INVESTMENT POTENTIAL IN SPA AND HOTEL BUSINESS IN INDIA

February 2009

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Preface

Thai-Indian business relations have improved considerably over the past decade. Thailand and India are close to concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) covering trade in goods by 2010. The Free Trade Agreement between Thailand and India is expected to improve trade relations between the two countries further. The FTA covering trade in goods would lead to long term mutual benefits in trade and investment and the partnership would be expanded further to cover technology know-how and expertise India's primary imports from Thailand are machinery, electronic appliances, textiles, plastic material, transport equipment, vegetable oil and latex. The major items of imports under FTA are polycarbonate, cathode-ray tubes, color-TVs, air conditioners and Aluminum products. Thailand‘s main imports from India are jewelry, gemstones, steel, pharmaceuticals and ferrous metal ores. India's trade with Thailand could touch USD 7 billion by 2010-11 propelled by a doubling in transaction under Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The EHS was implemented on September 1, 2004, under which tariffs on 82 items were to be phased out by September 1, 2006 by both the sides. The trade between Thailand and India is estimated to be US $ 7 billion by 2010-11 from US $ 2.2 billion in 2005-06. The total trade of 82 items under Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) of the FTA was increased by over 140 percent to about US $ 358.63 million in 2005-06 from US $ 149 million in 2003-04. The share of these 82 items in India-Thailand trade increased from 10.34 percent in 2003-04 to 15.68 percent in 2005-06. Thailand‘s export to India of the identified 82 EHS items was increased from US $ 84.64 million to US $ 275 million during the period from 2003 – 04 to 2005 – 06. During the same time, India‘s export to...