40% hotels closed down in Maharashtra due to Covid-19 pandemic: Hotel association

According to the association's chief, the lockdown measures have put tremendous pressure on the business and do more harm than good

Over 40 per cent of hotels in Maharashtra have permanently closed in the last 15 months because of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), the apex body of the hotel industry.

“Over the last 15 odd months, various factors have resulted in massive financial losses due to the lockdown. Over 40 per cent of restaurants and hotels in the state have permanently closed. There is sheer unpredictability on when to open when to close, what days to open, how much staff is required and what kind of inventory to maintain,” said Sherry Bhatia, President, HRAWI.

According to him, the lockdown measures have put tremendous pressure on the business and do more harm than good.

“Under such uncertain circumstances, mobilising operations of a hotel or restaurant property as well as recalling of employees and restarting of operations become an arduous task. It is extremely necessary for a business to get a sense of stability by allowing graded re-opening of this sector. We assure the Government that restaurants, as have always, will operate as per permissible guidelines, keeping in mind all the applicable SOPs for a safe and hygienic environment for its guests as well as its staff,” said Bhatia.

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The HWARI has also made a formal representation to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil, Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray, Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte and Principal Secretary Valsa Nair-Singh.

"We request the Government to allow the restaurants to stay open from 7 am to 12.30 am or as per the time mentioned in their licenses, including weekends. These operation timings are likely to benefit a large number of players in this sector. It will also promote staggered venturing out of the public. We urge the Government of Maharashtra to take the repercussions of such decisions into consideration and relax the lockdown restrictions in Mumbai in the wake of a dip in the positivity rate,” added Bhatia.

“With no specific relief or stimulus from the State Government, the industry continues to suffer. One of the biggest myths is the assumption that hotels and restaurants are super spreader places. This is simply not true; there is no fact in it. Operating in a controlled environment with all the SOPs makes hotels and restaurants a COVID19 safe environment,” added Pradeep Shetty, Senior Vice President, HRAWI.