BHUBANESWAR: With domestic flights resuming operations and the State Government exempting mandatory quarantine for people travelling to Odisha on work for 72 hours, hoteliers bodies and tour operators on Monday demanded opening of hotels.
Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO) and Indian Association of Tour Operators (Eastern Region) have moved the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) seeking permission to open the hotels in the City so that the travellers can be provided accommodation.
They said while the economy is opening up with relaxations on travel and quarantine protocol, there is every possibility that people will come to the State for short business trips and professional works.
“It is not that everybody who is coming to Odisha has a house or accommodation facility to stay. When the hotels are yet to get approval to operate, where will people on short duration trips stay and where will they have food?” they wondered.
HRAO chairman JK Mohanty said many hotels are getting calls for room reservation, but they are unable to take any decision as the Government has not allowed hotels to operate.
Stating that as per circular of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the passengers arriving in the international flights have to go in for compulsory paid quarantine in hotels, Mohanty requested the civic body to allow the hotels to operate and passengers for hotel accommodation.
The HRAO has urged BMC Commissioner Prem Chand Chaudhary seeking early approval for opening of hotel business. The association has also sent a copy of the letter to Tourism and Sports Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev.