Gaurish Dhond, President, Goa Hotels and Restaurant Association, speaks about business after lifting of the lockdown, mushrooming of home chefs, and the hotel fraternity operating during Covid times.
How has the business been for restaurants in Goa after opening up of the lockdown?
The business is below average. Things have just started to improve a little with the inflow of domestic tourists. However, it will take another three to six months for things to stabilize. The locals are still a little apprehensive about eating out; but that sentiment too, is slowly changing with most restaurants adhering to strict SOPs and hygiene standards.
Your association has been taking an active lead to bring up the mushrooming of amateur chefs who have been using social media to market their offerings, to get registered with the government agencies. Elaborate.
We are of the opinion that everyone has the right to do business and we welcome all the new home-chefs to start their own business and contribute to the hospitality industry. However, our only demand is that the business should be done in accordance with law and all statutory registrations and licenses should be procured. Times are very tough for all stakeholders and all we want is a level playing field, so that we all can co-exist peacefully together.
What is the support that you expect from the Government and what is your Association doing about lobbying with the government for this?
We expect the Government to be empathetic towards our concerns. The tourism industry is the mainstay of the Goan economy after the closure of mining in the State. A lot of livelihoods depend on the wellbeing of our industry. We are not asking for doles; but are requesting for some respite on the statutory fees and taxes like excise fees, electricity bills, water and house tax, property tax, sanitation tax, trade and establishment license, excise license fees etc. that we have to pay the Government.
“The sentiment at the moment is low and to rebuild the entire ecosystem it will definitely take some time. It will at least take another 6 to 8 months for the tourism industry to get back in full steam”
How are you ensuring that your members and the restaurant fraternity are adhering to the safety and sanitization norms in times of the pandemic?
We have sent out circulars with all the SOPs laid down by the Government to all our member properties and have requested them to maintain the highest level of hygiene and take all precautionary measures to ensure that we successfully tackle this crisis and help resurrect the tourism industry back to where it was. If you look at the figures closely, one would realize that out of the total number of COVID-19 cases in Goa, not even a fraction of them have come from the tourists. That itself speaks volumes of the strict norms followed by our industry.
How long do you think the restaurant business will take to bounce back?
The sentiment at the moment is low and to rebuild the entire ecosystem it will definitely take some time. It will at least take another 6 to 8 months for the tourism industry to get back in full steam. We hope and pray that a vaccine is developed and the pandemic ends before that but we need to be pragmatic and plan accordingly
