Industry Status On The Cards For Hospitality Sector In The State
New Delhi, Dec 14: The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has expressed optimism about the Hospitality sector getting recognition as an industry in Telangana after a constructive meeting with Hon’ble Tourism Minister of Telangana – Sri. Srinivas Goud. A delegation of the State’s Hospitality representatives under the leadership of Mr. D V S Somaraju, Hon. Treasurer, FHRAI and Executive Committee Member, SIHRA along with Mr. S.P. Reddy, Director, Marriott Apartment Hotel, Hyderabad and Mr. Venkatreddy, President of Telangana Hotel and Restaurant Association met with the Minister on Saturday to discuss the several issues impending the sector. Mr. Somaraju submitted a representation to the Minister emphasizing on the importance of conferring the sector the status of industry for both the betterment of Tourism and Hospitality in the State.
“We thank the Hon. Minister of Tourism for meeting with us and hearing us out. The Minister was aware of the need for giving the Hospitality sector the status of industry and reciprocated positively. We put across the sector’s concerns and challenges and submitted a proposal to expedite the growth and its development. Against this backdrop, the Government announced and also released an order for Single-Window clearance for all approvals, licenses and renewals; and the Hospitality industry is grateful to the Government for it. The State has been taking progressive measures and has introduced policies aimed for socio – economic development and we feel positive that the Hospitality industry will soon also be given the status of industry,” says Mr. D.V.S. Somaraju.
The COVID19 pandemic has caused significant and far-reaching economic damage to the hospitality sector in the country. The industry is waging a battle for its survival amidst increasing requirements of working capital vis-a-vis negative cash flows, threats of insolvency and millions of jobs losses.
“The Hospitality sector is labor-and capital-intensive and depends entirely on travel. Hospitality was the first causality of the pandemic and will be the last one to revive. The recovery of the sector is going to be a long-drawn-out affair without full-fledged resumption of domestic travel in the country. There is no foreign business to India since March 2020; and with no sign of international business to resume soon, the road ahead is full of uncertainties and difficulties. The morale is at an all-time low today and granting Hospitality the status of industry will prove to be a much needed boost to the sector,” concludes Mr. D.V.S. Somaraju.