Union Tourism minister welcomes decision to reopen hotels in Delhi

The meeting was also attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal via a video link. The Union ministry, in a statement, said Prahlad Singh Patel held a discussion with the L-G to request him to accede to the demands of the hospitality industry in Delhi for permission to start hotel and restaurant operations.

Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Wednesday thanked Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal for deciding to reopen hotels in the city, saying it was a big step towards revival of tourism and hospitality activities in the national capital. In a meeting chaired by the L-G, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) gave approval for opening of hotels and weekly markets in the city. The meeting was also attended by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal via a video link.

The Union ministry, in a statement, said Prahlad Singh Patel held a discussion with the L-G to request him to accede to the demands of the hospitality industry in Delhi for permission to start hotel and restaurant operations. Prior to this, he had also taken up the matter with the Home Ministry, according to the statement.

It said that Patel been continuously engaging with the representatives of the industry stakeholders to discuss solutions and the way forward to reboot the tourism economy by reviving demand, especially through promotion of domestic tourism to start with. He had held a series of brainstorming meetings over the previous week with different segments of the tourism industry to hear and understand their difficulties, the statement said.

"This (DDMA decision) is a big step towards revival of tourism and hospitality activities in the capital city," the minister was quoted as saying in the statement. Patel thanked the Home Minister and the Lt. Governor of Delhi and said, "Opening of the two biggest segments of the tourism industry viz hotels and restaurants in the country's capital is a positive move that will help push domestic travel and give much relief to the industry which has been reading itself with all health and safety protocols." The Ministry of Home Affairs has given permission to start hotel, restaurant and hospitality services in the tourism sector from June 8 in a phased manner. The Health Ministry had issued SoPs and protocols for operation hotels, restaurants and other accommodation units. The tourism ministry had subsequently come up with operational guidelines for hotels, restaurants and other accommodation units which were circulated countrywide. Towards another major move in rebooting tourism activities, Patel has also requested the home ministry to consider allowing the banquets halls and conference facilities to operate at 50 per cent of their capacity by following the existing safety protocols and social distancing norms, a move that will help kickstart the MICE industry.

He also held meetings with the Union Civil Aviation Minister last week to discussed the issue of refund policy on the cancellation of air tickets, the statement said. Meanwhile, Delhi Hotels and Restaurant Owner's Association (DHROA) president Loveleen Anand and chairman Sandeep Khandelwal wrote to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanking him for reopening hotels in the city.

"DHROA wholeheartedly thanks Arvind Kejriwal, the beloved chief minister of Delhi. The decision to open the hotel is a new ray of life given to us by our chief minister between the life and death decision, which is a very commendable step. "It is a step to provide livelihood and employment opportunities. The move will also make migrant workers happy." Jagpreet Arora, the president of Karol Bagh Hotel Association, in his letter to the chief minister, appreciated the "pains taken by you in helping us." Lodging House Owners Association President Daljeet Chadha and General Secretary Ram Arya said, "You have been excessively kind in first presenting the proposal of unlocking over two weeks back but somehow was held back at Lt. Governor's behest.

"Your continuous, tireless effort in pushing the proposal on rational reasoning has finally brought cheers to the depressed owners and importantly lakhs of workers sitting in their villages without jobs. We will follow all SOP for COVID prevention," they said in the letter to Kejriwal.