Hoteliers Club seeks CS's intervention on slew of issues plaguing hospitality business

Srinagar, May 29: A delegation from the prominent J&K Hoteliers Club, led by chairman Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya, met with the union territory's Chief Secretary Atul Dullo and Tourism Secretary Yasha Mudgal to raise a host of burning issues plaguing the hospitality sector.

The long-pending and vexatious issue of hotel registration renewals was top on the agenda. Chaya emphasised that many well-established hotels, which have been operating for years, are unable to renew their registrations due to authorities seeking fresh documentation akin to new registrations.

"This requirement of submitting documentation for fresh registrations is highly misplaced for longtime operators. Non-availability of renewals puts the very properties and investments of hoteliers in jeopardy, peril and risk," Chaya stated emphatically. He urged the Chief Secretary's intervention to resolve the matter decisively and get the renewals issued at the earliest.

The hoteliers welcomed the recent inclusion of the tourism industry, a key service sector, under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) category in the industrial policy. However, they stressed that the promised 'Ease of Doing Business' should be reflected in simpler registration processes for the sector.

With the annual Amarnath Yatra just weeks away, the delegation assured their preparedness to host the incoming pilgrims. However, they requested that bonafide tourists with confirmed hotel reservations in Pahalgam and Sonamarg face no inconvenience or hurdles in entering these areas during the yatra period, with their booking slips treated as valid entry passes.

Another long-pending issue raised was the renewal of leases for hotel properties in the picturesque Gulmarg region. Chaya requested directions to the concerned authorities to allow interior maintenance and upkeep of these facilities until an amicable resolution is reached on the lease extensions. A similar concern was voiced for hotel properties located along Srinagar's iconic Boulevard Road.

Stressing the need for robust safety measures, the hoteliers pushed for the deployment of fire-fighting teams and emergency ambulance facilities in Sonamarg to prevent casualties and mishaps in the high-altitude tourist destination. They also sought an early convening of BOCA meeting in Sonamarg.

Finally, the delegation sought the government's assistance in resolving business issues regarding J&K Bank's One-Time Settlement (OTS) schemes, requesting a helping hand for the fraternity.

Both the Chief Secretary and Tourism Secretary gave the hoteliers a patient hearing and assured them of looking into their grievances on priority to address the issues ailing the vital tourism industry's stakeholders.

The meeting highlighted the mounting challenges faced by the prominent hospitality sector and its rising pitch for the government's intervention to resolve long-pending regulatory hurdles, lease issues and infrastructural gaps ahead of the peak tourist season.