Category Archives: Associations

Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, Vice President, FHRAI and President, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), voices his members’ opinions and says that hotels and restaurants are the unsung COVID-19 warriors for serving the country by offering their rooms and their kitchens. “Unfortunately, we are not being recognized. Hotels are being used by all states for housing the health workers. For almost two months now, hotels are being used for the purpose without any compensation or payment. Also, the compensation marked for this requisition is next to nothing. It tantamounts to further burdening a sector which is already on the verge of extinction. None of the hotels have been paid for the occupation since more than two months and although we have approached the authorities several times verbally and expressed to fix a reasonable compensation and make payment immediately, there is no revert from them till date.”

While certain states like Rajasthan have been allowed to open their hotels and restaurants, those in Mumbai and certain parts of Maharashtra have still not been permitted to open for guests. Commenting on this is Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, President, Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) and Vice President of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), said, “Hotels and restaurants have been ready to serve customers for quite some time and are fully prepared. But there needs to be proper coordination between the Centre and the state governments. As of today, in Mumbai and certain parts of Maharashtra still, hotels and restaurants are not yet allowed to re-open which is strange as it is further pushing this failing industry into oblivion. Putting deadlines of shutting after 9pm and not allowing liquor to be sold are some of the other impediments which will not allow many restaurants to open even after lockdown on them is lifted.” He added that all HRAWI and FHRAI members are fully equipped in ensuring the safety of customers as well as staff and have been updated about the best practices in addition to the MHA guidelines for ensuring guest safety.

The One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme led by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced its new vision for global tourism– growing better, stronger, and balancing the needs of people, planet and prosperity. The One Planet Vision for the responsible recovery of the tourism sector builds on the UNWTO Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism, with the aim to emerge stronger and more sustainable from the COVID-19 crisis. Sustainability must no longer be a niche part of tourism but must be the new norm for every part of the tourism sector, the document states. The programme is structured around six lines of action, namely public health, social inclusion, biodiversity conservation, climate action, circular economy and governance & finance.

WTTC has unveiled the second phase of measures to rebuild global consumer confidence to encourage the return of travelling. The latest protocols are designed to enable sectors such as tour operators and convention centres, meetings and events to thrive once again. The extended measures follow the ‘Safe Travels’ guidelines that were launched by WTTC on May 12. Detailed discussions took place with key stakeholders and organisations to ensure maximum buy-in, alignment and practical implementation, to set clear expectations of what travellers may experience in the ‘new normal’. Those relating to airports and airlines have been devised following close consultation with WTTC Members IATA and Airports Council International (ACI), to rebuild trust and provide reassurance that airports and airlines will offer safe environments in which to fly once travel restrictions are relaxed.

The world is slowly opening up again, new research from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) indicates, with destinations cautiously easing travel restrictions introduced in response to COVID-19. As the United Nations specialised agency releases its Global Guidelines for Reopening Tourism, signalling a transition into gearing up for stronger and better recovery, 3% of all global destinations have now taken steps to ease travel restrictions. However, UNWTO notes that 100% of all destinations worldwide continue to have some form of COVID-19-related travel restrictions in place and stresses the need for vigilance, responsibility and international cooperation as the world slowly opens up again.

Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has requested the Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to reduce the entrance fee for foreign nationals at ASI monuments, charging them the same as it would charge the nationals of SAARC countries. This, it requests, should be extended till March 31, 2022 and will help inbound tour operators reduce the package cost. The move will also help spread the message to the international travel community that India is more than willing and ready to welcome foreign tourists. The reduced fee and in turn a reduction in the package cost would enable inbound tour operators to start selling trips to India as soon as the country opens for international tourism.

CovidSMART is DDP Group’s latest initiative, a programme designed by WHO-certified professionals and ISO-trained individuals to promote safe travel and help build in tour operators & travel agents the confidence to succeed in this industry, once again. To access the programme, you can log on to www.covidElearn.com. Key learnings would include protecting your business during COVID-19, dealing with emergencies and anxiety related to the pandemic and its impact, and the importance of a PPE kit. SanJeet, Director, DDP Group, says, “All our initiatives during this pandemic have been our way of looking after our tourism industry and this is another such programme. Our aim is that every travel professional should accept this fast-paced change, be prepared and be ready to drive tourism in the future. By introducing CovidSMART, we hope to put India in the driver’s seat. Now, it is up to the travel industry to encash this opportunity. I encourage the industry to convey to their partners as well as the Indian travellers that they will now be dealing with a COVID-19 certified specialist, who understands and will guide them through this jungle.”

A delegation of the Karnataka Pradesh Hotel and Restaurants’ Association (KPHRA) recently met the state chief minister BS Yediyurappa said at his office in Bengaluru and has requested him to grant permission to re-open hotels. The Karnataka Chief Minister said he will decide on the reopening of hotels and restaurants by May 31, when the fourth phase of lockdown ends. The KPHRA delegation has also requested Yediyurappa for a special package for hotel and restaurant workers in terms of waiving off three months of electricity bills and property tax of hotel buildings.

In continuation of its efforts to highlight the issues and concerns of the outbound industry to those in the office of power, Riaz Munshi, President, Outbound Tour Operators of India (OTOAI), met up with the Tourism Minister, Prahlad Singh Patel. He had a detailed meeting with the minister at the Ministry of Tourism Office along with presidents of other leading travel trade associations. Munshi says, “The Tourism Minister listened patiently to all that we had to say. He has assured us that roll-back of TCS, not making pan card necessary for foreign remittances for foreign nationals and NRIs will be taken up with the government on priority. The honourable Minister is hopeful that all these discussions will have a positive outcome and that relief on these fronts will be announced soon.”

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched the world’s first-ever global safety and hygiene stamp which allow travellers to recognise governments and businesses around the world which have adopted health and hygiene global standardised protocols – so consumers can experience ‘Safe Travels’. The initiative also received the backing of UNWTO. Eligible businesses such as hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, outdoor shopping, transportation and airports, will be able to use the stamp once the health and hygiene protocols, outlined by WTTC, have been implemented. Destinations will also help to award the stamp of approval to local suppliers. The launch of global protocols to boost the Travel & Tourism sector have been embraced by over 200 CEO’s including some of the world’s major tourism groups. Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We are delighted that UNWTO are supporting the private sector global protocols and our efforts as public-private collaboration is critical to ensure a faster recovery. We have learned from past crises that global standard protocols and consistency provide confidence for the traveller. Our new global safety stamp is designed to help rebuild consumer confidence worldwide,” she said. “Now travelers will be able to recognise the businesses and destinations worldwide which have adopted the new set of global protocols that will encourage the return of ‘Safe Travels’ around the world. It will, in turn, help the Travel & Tourism sector to reopen for business and move in a coordinated approach. “For the first time ever, the global private sector has rallied around Safe Travels protocols which will create consistency across the sector. Implementation by governments around the world will restore much-needed confidence in order to restart …