NEWS | Tourist nos in Nainital, Mussoorie down by 50% after mandatory hotel bookings, strict Covid report checks

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Hoteliers said that often tourists arrive without prior bookings but now they were being turned away. A hotelier in Mussoorie said that on Friday and Saturday, a number of tourists were turned away by police for not carrying hotel booking slips

Tourist footfalls declined by as much as half in Mussoorie and Nainital this weekend as strict Covid-related checks kicked in. While hotel bookings were made mandatory last week to enter both hill stations, police teams also started thorough inspection of Covid- negative test reports.

Compared with the past few weekends when hotels in Mussoorie had recorded 100 percent occupancy, bookings nosedived to 40 percent to 50 percent this weekend. In Nainital, many top hotels had barely 20 percent occupancy on Sunday. Sandeep Sahni, president of Uttarakhand Hotels' Association, said that tourist footfall had declined drastically by half in hill stations.

“A number of factors have contributed to the decline in tourist rush. The administration has become very strict and there has also been some negative publicity after a video of a large number of tourists taking a dip at Kempty Falls went viral. Heavy rainfall over the past week has also caused people to change travel plans,” Sahni said.

Those associated with the tourism industry said that with the arrival of the monsoon, chances of tourism picking up in the next few weeks were slim.

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NEWS | Chalet Hotels reports consolidated net loss of INR 25.96 crore in 2021 Q1

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Sales declined 57.12 percent to INR 97.83 crore in the quarter ended March 2021 as against INR 228.16 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2020.

Net loss of Chalet Hotels reported to INR 25.96 crore in the quarter ended March 2021 as against net profit of INR 42.78 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2020. Sales declined 57.12 percent to INR 97.83 crore in the quarter ended March 2021 as against INR 228.16 crore during the previous quarter ended March 2020.

For the full year,net loss reported to INR 139.08 crore in the year ended March 2021 as against net profit of INR 102.68 crore during the previous year ended March 2020. Sales declined 69.99 percent to INR 294.39 crore in the year ended March 2021 as against INR 980.85 crore during the previous year ended March 2020.

The hotels and leisure industry has been one of the worst hit by the pandemic, the restrictions on operations and the social distancing norms prescribed. Most hotels are operating at less than half their capacity and that is evident in the top line numbers.

Tourism industry should be treated as a “Common Agenda”: HAI

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Indian tourism and hospitality industry is going through a bleak phase despite the resilient and brave front by hotel players. The constant pummelling from the pandemic has led to losses exceeding Rs. 1.25 trillion (40%) in revenue and 50 million jobs across the sector.

While travel is still discretionary, for many people it is a necessity. In order to deal with the unprecedented crisis, there is a dire need to develop innovative strategies.

On behalf of the industry during the recent BITB conclave attended by 150 delegates and senior leaders from Travel & Tourism industry, the Hotel Association of India (HAI) called upon industry stakeholders to treat Tourism as a “Common Agenda” and also highlighted the need to make tourism viable, sustainable, accessible and affordable for all.

The apex industry body also suggested that the private sector and state governments should work together to usher the revival of the tourism sector and put it back on the track of recovery. HAI believes that the industry requires integrated and focussed efforts to ease domestic travel.

According to HAI, the ongoing crisis is posing to be an opportunity to plan a better future with people,
society and community being at the centre of future growth.

Some of the key initiatives that can be undertaken to catapult the industry into exponential growth are:

  • Revisiting the current funding structure

  • Providing institutional access to working capital which will enable liquidity and defer loans

  • Repayment for all segments

  • Additional taxation relief to promote tourism

  • Improve the pace of vaccination for speedy recovery

  • Encourage education and wellness tourism

  • Creating experiences

  • Allow Tourism to form and lay down its own rules

  • Integrated taxation policy

“One of the biggest pillars of Indian tourism is its heritage. Today, more than 90% of the country’s heritage is in urgent need of revitalization. Its conservation is important for identifying, analysing, recording and protecting cultural resources. It is also an important tool for defining the landmark within the heritage area as well as to generate economic return and support the tourism industry. It not only preserves our historical legacy from further degradation but also strengthens the essence of the country’s rich past. Travel is not just about a destination; the journey is equally important. Attention to this will enhance tourism business," KB Kachru, Vice President, Hotel Association of India and Chairman Emeritus & Principal Advisor-South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group.

The association believes that granting industry status to the Indian hospitality sector will enable hotels across the country to avail benefits towards power tariff at an industrial rate, lower property tax, investment subsidies & tax holidays, refinancing of existing debts, hassle-Free loans at subsidised interest rates, simplified approval process for hotel projects and other benefits accorded to industries – thus helping in ushering transparency, reduce costs, and encourage reinvestment.

“This will also help strengthen the sector to unlock its potential and generate employment to support the post-pandemic economic revival”, Kachru added while speaking at the BITB conclave.

The apex body has also requested for measures like uniform road tax structure, reinstatement of scheduled flights, restarting of E-Visas, promotion of cruise tourism, creation of additional destinations for domestic travellers and development of infrastructure support in taxation so that the industry can evolve from business slump. Analytical transformation through efficient coordination of marketing budgets, sector promotions and last mile connectivity will ensure sustainable revival for the travel and hospitality sector.

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Chalet Hotels Ltd. announces complete vaccination cover for all its employees, across the country

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While the choice to get vaccinated is left to the individual, in the interest of safety and convenience, the Company has provisioned for employees to get vaccinated at any centre of their choice.

As India’s vaccination drive continues to gather momentum, the country’s travel, tourism, and hospitality sector are optimistic about the future. Chalet Hotels Ltd., owner, developer, and asset manager of high-end hotels in key metro cities of India announces complete vaccination cover for all its employees, across the country. This makes it one of the first hospitality companies in India to take this step, joining other leading people-centric organizations from other industries.

As a part of this program, Chalet Hotels Ltd. will cover the vaccination costs for all its employees across its hotels and corporate offices. While the choice to get vaccinated is left to the individual, in the interest of safety and convenience, the Company has provisioned for employees to get vaccinated at any center of their choice.

Speaking about this initiative, Sanjay Sethi, MD & CEO, Chalet Hotels Ltd said, “We are in a people-driven industry and our ‘people’ are our biggest asset. As we march into the new normal, our emphasis on the health and safety of our employees is of highest priority. Their wellbeing is going to be a key enabler in helping us continue to fulfil our commitment of an exceptional hospitality experience.”

Chalet Hotels Ltd. has been recognized in India’s Great Mid-Size Workplaces’ by the Great Place to Work® Institute India- 2020-21. It is also amongst India’s 100 Best Workspaces for Women 2020. The Company has consistently addressed employee wellbeing, and firmly believes that it is crucial to address the safety needs of employees, to build a productive workplace.

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NEWS | Luxury destination weddings back in India | Wedding 2021

Ultra-luxury hotels in India’s main wedding destinations, including Jaipur, Jodhpur and Mussoorie, are seeing massive demand for hosting “diverted destination” weddings — many postponed from last year — of the uber-rich which cannot be held abroad due to current travel restrictions.

Ultra-luxury hotels in India’s main wedding destinations, including Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Mussoorie, are seeing massive demand for hosting “diverted destination” weddings — many postponed from last year — of the uber-rich which cannot be held abroad due to current travel restrictions. The biggest hospitality players including Taj, Oberoi, ITC, Leela, Marriott, and Accor have a major presence in these destinations here.

A Taj Hotels spokesperson said, “The big fat Indian wedding may have got slimmer but is now more Indian than ever.”
The general manager of one of India’s best-known destination wedding hotels said, “In 2013 hit ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (YJHD)’, Ranbir Kapoor came to Udaipur’s dreamy Udaivilas to attend a friend’s destination wedding. Now the buzz among hoteliers is which Indian property will host the Kapoor wedding if international travel restrictions remain in place?”
Hospitality majors are hosting weddings by strictly adhering to all pandemic-time norms for the size of the gathering, social distancing, and enhanced hygiene.

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