CM Uddhav Thackeray assures Hoteliers of unlocking Hotels soon

CM Thackeray assures to look into the issues cropped by in hospitality industry also assures to start industry phase wise in unlock2.0 

Mumbai: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray assured members of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) of resumption of Hospitality Industry under mission again. He gave this assurance to the HRAWI during a video-conferencing meeting held on Sunday.

The HRAWI (Western Region) is an association of hotels and restaurants in western India covering Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu. The members range from five-star deluxe hotel chains to restaurants and budget friendly hotel owners, the latter forming the majority of the association.

On Sunday the members of HRAWI brought to light that the hospitality industry is badly hit due to the pandemic crisis and it needs support from the government. The 80 % of staff in the industry are migrant workers, also the four-months hit to business and social distancing norms will continue to hit business in near months.

Thackeray assured in the video-conferencing to all the delegation from HRAWI that the department of tourism has been already working on Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). CM Thackeray acknowledged the support and help by the hospitality industry during the pandemic whether for the government officials or the patients of coronavirus. Thackeray told that the tourism business will soon resume in phases under mission begin again in unlock2.0.

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The delegation from the HRAWI, included its President, Gurbaxish Singh many more. The video-conferencing meeting Kohli and Devendra Bharma , Punit Chatwal , Harprit Singh and headed by CM Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray minister of state of tourism, Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Ajoy Mehta-Chief advisory to the CM Thackeray and Valsa Nair Singh –Principal Secretary (Tourism).

 Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, the President of HRAWI (Western Region) said, “The hospitality industry is people’s business. We have raised our issues like on excise fees and property tax with the CM, Thackeray.  The excise fees have increased by the government thus, we have asked to roll back as for about four-months the hospitality industry remained completely shut. Tourism and hospitality will bring business to the state. Our industry contributes 10.2 % of the total employment in the country. The self –regulation checks on health parameters were always followed by this industry.”

CM Thackeray urged HRAWI not to lay off or give furlough to employees working with them. “The SOPs laid down by the government should be followed up by the hospitality industry. The tourism business can grow the economy of the state for sure post pandemic.”

“The self-discipline is necessary and needs to be observed by the tourism industry as it has direct connection with the people,” said Aaditya, the cabinet minister to the HRAWI in video-conferencing.