Tag Archives: HRAWI

HRAWI presented inputs for curating the Maharashtra Convention Promotion Bureau to Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), a council to promote the state as an attractive and suitable location for hosting conferences, conventions, and business events, considering that events boost economic development and accelerate tourism in the state.

Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI has said that their upcoming convention is poised to achieve big goals in tourism, “Our convention in Goa aims to drive growth in a sustainable manner, aligning with India’s vision of achieving 100 mn tourists by 2047 and a $3 tn hospitality tourism economy.” he added.

HRAWI recommends reform in GST framework for restaurants within hotel premises. “The sudden jump in GST from 5 per cent to 18 per cent when room rates exceed ₹7500/-, creates uncertainty for guests and places hotels at a disadvantage. We have submitted a representation to the Government,” said Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI.

Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI, said that the implementation of industry status will offer waivers and reliefs which are critical for the growth of hospitality. “We anticipate the forthcoming policy will promote the growth of tourism in Vidarbha and Maharashtra at large,” he added.

Concerned over rising incidences of online hotel rooms booking frauds and instances of targeted smear campaigns on social media against hospitality brands, HRAWI will take up the issue with the concerned Government authorities and law enforcement agencies.

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has submitted a representation to the Maharashtra Government requesting for an immediate rollback of the 15 per cent hike in the Excise Licence Fee for FY 2022-23. Citing the unpredictable nature of restrictions and other measures that may come into effect, if and when another pandemic wave breaks out, the Association has also requested that the Government offers a 50 per cent waiver on the fee for FY 2022-23. “Through the last two years, restaurants continued paying for salaries, property taxes, statutory fees, electricity, water and other overheads. However, license holders were unable to carry out the business due to the restrictions imposed by the State. The restaurant industry was severely affected with none to low footfalls. In the pre-pandemic days, the industry did not flinch while paying the excise licence fees but today, it is a different story,” concludes Mr Pradeep Shetty, Sr. Vice President, HRAWI. 

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has initiated a campaign to raise awareness on the copyright issues faced by hospitality establishments over playing recorded music. The campaign has been launched in the wake of recent incidences that occurred in Pune when two Mumbai-based private firms extorted Rs1.37 lakh from businessmen under the pretext of issuing them copyright licenses for staging musical performances at marriage ceremonies in a star hotel. HRAWI has met and submitted a written appeal to the Pune Commissioner of Police requesting him to take cognizance of the crime and register economic offence against the private agencies for extortion

A joint delegation of members from HRAWI, FHRAI, NRAI, AHAR and HAI met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the continued timing restrictions on restaurants in the state, and informed the CM of restaurateurs’ distress. Thackeray has assured that he will be present in the next meeting of the COVID-19 task force and look for ways for a graded reopening of the restaurant sector.

HRAWI has offered waiver of annual membership fees for 2021-22. The offer is a one-time relief measure for members who can choose to opt for a part, i.e. 50% or full waiver of the annual fees. Members who have already paid their fees for the current year 2021-22 but would like to receive the waiver can request their fees to be carried forward for the next year.

The Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) thanks the BMC and the Government of Maharashtra for the 3-month waiver on property tax for the industry. However, it has requested to grant waiver to all hotels as well as restaurants for a six-month period, during which they were asked to remain shut. Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, President, HRAWI, adds, “We have not been paid for the cost of operation borne by us towards quarantining essential workers.”