THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The tourism department will examine the controversial directive issued by a resort in Kovalam, restricting pool privileges only to foreigners, amid a call by a leading hoteliers’ association to shun any sort of discrminatory practices.
TNIE had reported how the resort’s fiat, which was later withdrawn, had triggered a heated debate within tourism industry stakeholders. Reacting to the TNIE report, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said the government will “examine the matter”, indicating that the department views such practices seriously.
A domestic guest of the resort, who checked in during the Christmas holidays, was shocked when he was handed out a notice by the resort staff. The notice, accessed by TNIE, said “the main swimming pool access has been limited only for foreign guests from 3pm to 6pm.”
After the issue snowballed into a major row, the resort management apologised to the guests and withdrew the notice. The resort later came out with a clarification that it was a technical error. It said the curbs were meant for guests undergoing ayurveda treatment at the resort, owing to hygiene issues.
Meanwhile, the South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA) has condemned any sort of ‘discriminatory’ practices in the hospitality sector. SIHRA Kerala sector vice-president Suresh M Pillai said hotels and resorts have the right to impose certain restrictions but they should not be discriminatory in any manner.
“Though there are no guidelines as such issued by SIHRA, we expect our affiliated member hotels to follow best practices and treat all guests equally,” Pillai said.