Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured to revive the tourism industry following a meeting with the hotel and restaurant operators. Sawant stated that the Government will take a positive decision within a week to revive the tourism industry and will make sure that all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are followed while reopening the hotels.
In order to overcome increasing losses as a result of the COVID-19 induced lockdown, the hoteliers and restaurant operators met the CM demanding resumption of bars attached to restaurants as part of the unlock 1.0. The Goa Hotels and Restaurants Association requested the CM to re-open the operations full-fledged from July 1 onwards, else their survival, as well as economic contribution to the Government, would be further affected.
Members of Goa Hotels and Restaurant Association (GHRA) met the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the morning to submit a memorandum on issues faced in the trade. Members asked for restaurants to be open until 11 pm against the current deadline of restaurants of nine pm.
President of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, Gaurish Dhond, said, “Since the Government has allowed re-opening of liquor outlets, the bars attached to restaurants should also be allowed because no restaurants can operate without bars. Bars are an integral part of the restaurants and it has to be open. Without liquor, none of the restaurants will survive and neither economy.”
Gaurish further stated that restaurants generate income to the Government by paying taxes in the form of VAT and GST, and assured that all safety measures will be adhered to.
The association has agreed that the three months of lockdown had adversely impacted their business and has urged the Government to allow the restaurants till 11 pm.
The association, that also requested revising SOPs for hotels, said that CM has assured “very positively” to look into their demands. “COVID-19 is here to stay but we assure the government that all the health protocols such as sanitisation, wearing of masks, social distancing, etc will be followed,” Dhond said.
Dhond was accompanied by Goan restaurateurs including Girish Sardesai, Pradip Dhuri, Rajesh Salgaoncar, Rajesh Desai, Prahlad Sukhthancar and Akshay Quenim, who own popular eateries.
He said that the restaurant business went through bad times because of the extended lockdown. However, despite being allowed to function since June 8, the problems faced by restaurants continue.
According to GHRA, the range of activities under tourism viz hotels, bars, casinos, river cruises, etc, need to restart for the restaurant segment to revive.
The trade body also asked for an easing of some of the SOPs for the restaurants and tourism industry.
According to GHRA, allowing tourists to arrive in the state will not lead to an increase in the COVID-19 infection as industry stakeholders will comply with all the prevention protocols issued by the government. The trade representative body pointed out that tourism indirectly and directly support one-third of the population.
Further despite the COVID crisis and ensuing lockdown, restaurant owners had to shell out on license fees to the municipality, the FDA, water, electricity bills, garbage collection charges and other necessary expenses, while most States had been given relaxation in fees.
The Chief Minister has also stated that 230 hotels have applied to the Tourism Department for permission to start their businesses and permission will be granted by following Standard Operating Procedures. He further added that the testing for COVID-19 that has been conducted at the entry points of the state will continue
