Srinagar, Sep 20, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir Hoteliers Club has expressed dissatisfaction over the financial relief package announced by the Lieutenant Governor administration, saying the tourism and hospitality sector has been largely ignored despite suffering heavy losses over the past year.
The tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a prolonged downturn due to restrictions and the impact of the pandemic, leaving hotels and related businesses struggling to sustain operations.
Chairman of the J&K Hoteliers Club Mushtaq Chaya said that hotels remained closed for nearly a year and there are still no clear signs of revival in the immediate future.
“Government should announce a special tourism-specific financial package where all government usage charges including water and electricity tariffs are completely waived off for one year,” Chaya said.
He said the hotel industry involves huge investments and provides employment to thousands of educated youth across the region.
Chaya warned that if adequate support is not extended, the hospitality sector could face an irreversible crisis.
He urged the Lieutenant Governor to revise the announced package and treat tourism as a priority sector.
Chaya said the announcement of a five percent interest subvention would not be sufficient to revive the struggling hotel industry.
He demanded a five-year interest-free cash assistance for hoteliers along with a moratorium period of ten years to help the industry recover.
Secretary General of the Hoteliers Club Tariq Rashid Ghani also expressed concern over the situation faced by the tourism sector.
“Tourism has been the worst hit for many years, especially during the last year,” Ghani said.
“There has been zero booking in hotels for over a year due to no fault of ours. We need a robust, sustainable and long-term financial package from the government which can help the tourism sector bounce back,” he added.
Ghani said the financial package of ₹1,350 crore announced by the government was inadequate when compared to the losses suffered by various economic sectors, particularly tourism. [KNT]
