APR 08 Hospitality Industry is joining forces with the Indian Government to combat COVID-19 By Ritvika Sethi Nothing could have prepared us for the COVID- the industry is stepping forward, in this hour of 19 outbreak. It is hard to determine the true need, have been mentioned below. impact of this pandemic until the dust settles and the virus is completely contained, but until Hotels as quarantine facilities: then, we have to prepare and come out of this - 182 Hotel rooms across the IBIS, The stronger than ever. To win the battle, its essential Lemon Tree Premier and Red Fox in to join it and fight it together. The hospitality and Aerocity near Indira Gandhi International food & beverage (F&B) industry in India, along (IGI) Airport, New Delhi, have been set with the government, are constantly working to aside as paid quarantine facilities, at alleviate the impact. minimal rates, for those flying-in from abroad. As per the latest HVS Report, the overall revenue - Nine hotel chains, including Lemon Tree, of the Indian hotel sector in 2020 is set to decline Radisson Hotels and Intercontinental by anywhere between USD 8.85 Bn to USD 10 Bn, Hotels Group (IHG), are collectively reflecting an erosion of 39% to 45% compared to offering 392 rooms as paid quarantine last year. Besides the actual business loss, the facilities in Gurugram. hotel owners will incur losses due to fixed - JW Marriott Sahar Mumbai and operating expenses, debt repayments, interest Renaissance Powai are offering 300 payments and several other compliances rooms to the BMC for quarantining required of them. In such a scenario with passengers at deeply discounted rates. plummeting occupancies and revenues, the - Apart from ITC Maratha in Mumbai, ITC hotel leaders, operators and staff across all levels Hotels has set aside rooms in its Bengaluru are constantly in fear of layoffs and salary cuts. hotels for quarantining people. - Zostel is providing its properties as Even during such uncertain times, the hospitality quarantine centers, if needed by the industry in India is working tirelessly and has left government. Zostel Srinagar has already no stone unturned when offering its services. been set aside to serve affected people Hotels are preparing fresh, packed meals for the in Kashmir. needy and offering hotel rooms as quarantine - OYO will be offering sanitized beds and centers across the nation. Every individual is facilities in certain Covid-19 exclusive doing what they know best — serving their hotels that have been identified within guests and their country to the best of their the proximity of Apollo Hospitals in 6 cities abilities, while putting their own needs on hold. namely, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata for self- The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant quarantine and isolation of suspected Associations of India (FHRAI), through its member Covid-19 patients, requiring medical hotels, has voluntarily offered the Government observation and supervision. access to over 45,000 hotel rooms from across - Meanwhile, the Mahindra Group has the country. The rooms have been set aside for offered to convert Mahindra Holiday inbound tourists who may require quarantining, Resorts as temporary care facilities. tourists who are stuck in the country because of the travel ban, and doctors and healthcare Providing food for the needy: workers. These hotels range from five-stars to standalone properties and have been selected - Besides offering rooms to the BMC, JW based on the cluster regions identified by the Marriott Sahar Mumbai and Renaissance Government authorities. A few examples of how Powai are also distributing food to various organizations such as Seven Hills Hospital, hvs.com Police Stations and BMC workers daily. 19 duty are housed at The Lalit New Personal protective equipment (PPE) Delhi. The Lalit is also working with the were also distributed to several Police Delhi government in providing meals to Stations. the stranded laborers & migrants. The - Pullman and Novotel Aerocity are Lalit Group has been distributing ration to working with the Earth Savor Foundation the Transgender Community who are to organize food for 300 destitute people otherwise left out of most welfare in Delhi NCR. programs. - Ritz-Carlton Bangalore recently joined - 300 rooms per day have been offered to the gargantuan effort of the authorities Medical staff of Seven Hills Hospital by to feed the homeless and migrant Renaissance Powai. workers, as well as people quarantined in hospitals. Wellness initiatives and other contributions: - The Pride Group of Hotels is distributing - Six Senses Hotels Resorts and Spas has 1,000 food parcels every day till 14th April started a live selection of 2020 (lockdown period) in the cities of #AtHomeWithSixSenses meditations with Pune, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Kolkata, Six Senses hosts, including Director of Chennai, Bangalore, and Nagpur. Training, on the Facebook Page. - 700 members of the Kerala Hotel & - The Radisson Hotel group has contributed Restaurant Association (KHRA) are INR 35 lakhs to the Prime Minister’s Relief supporting the state government in their Fund and also donated to United Way community kitchen initiative. The Delhi for Covid-19 related initiatives. The government is providing provisions and Group’s Gurgaon, Delhi, Lucknow and fuel, while the KHRA members are Chennai hotels are also offering free contributing their kitchens, utensils and meals to the needy and animals in the vessels for this noble cause. area. - The Oberoi Gurgaon and Radisson Gurgaon have partnered to send 500 A few hotel chains have gone a step further and daily packed meals to the under entered partnerships to find more creative privileged in Delhi NCR. solutions. IHCL, through its Taj Public Service - The Park Hotel Hyderabad is distributing Welfare Trust, is joining hands with Chef Sanjeev hygienic and fresh meals to the greater Kapoor to provide nutritious meals to doctors Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and medical staff at hospitals. Ginger has cleaners and workers, along with under partnered with MakeMyTrip to provide rooms to privileged people and traffic police. the medical professionals and support staff who Twice a week, over 50 meals are are at work. Meanwhile, Oyo with Zomato are distributed to all in need. providing food at the isolation rooms offered by them. Providing rooms for the medical facility: Indian Food & Beverage Industry has also joined - IHCL is offering rooms at 8 of their hotels the fight against Covid-19 across India for the medical fraternity to stay while they combat the spread of the The Indian F&B industry and local restaurant virus. The company is also providing businesses, employing over 7.3 million people, complimentary meals, daily, to all the have been severely impacted by the medical staff and patients admitted in nationwide shutdown aimed at checking the Kasturba Hospital and other Covid-19 outbreak. Numerous restaurants across Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation the country have created funds and are (BMC) hospitals, through its subsidiary Taj distributing meals to the needy whilst practicing Sats. safety and hygiene SOPs. - The Hyatt Regency, Lemon Tree, The Piccadily and Fairfield by Marriott in - The National Restaurant Association of Lucknow have been converted into India has launched a “Feed the needy” quarantine zones by the government for campaign where donations are being the medical staff who are in constant used to serve meals across the country. contact with the coronavirus patients. As of 5th April 2020, over 3.5 lakh meals - All doctors serving in Delhi’s Lok Nayak had been served. Hospital and GB Pant Hospital on COVID- hvs.com - Dineout has launched “Restaurant 2) The Hindu Business Line website, Vouchers” that customers can purchase https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/covid- 19-fhrai-voluntarily-offers-govt-access-to-over-45000- now and redeem later at 20,000+ partner hotel-rooms/article31258194.ece, accessed 4 April 2020 restaurants in the next 6 months once the 3) The Times of India Website, pandemic subsides. The funds from these https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhd/3-hotels- vouchers are being directly transferred to near-igi-chosen-to-offer-paid-isolation- facilities/articleshow/74664037.cms, accessed 28 March restaurants without any charge. 2020. - Beyond financial support from customers, 4) The Economic Times Website, Dineout has also started an online https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services petition to support NRAI, requesting the /hotels-/-restaurants/more-hotels-accomodation- spaces-earmarked-for-covid- Finance Ministry and Government of 19/articleshow/74833702.cms?from=mdr, accessed on India to help restaurants with employee 28 March 2020. unemployment pay cover, moratorium 5) The Economic Times Website, on upcoming statutory dues, delay in https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services /hotels-/-restaurants/dineout-launches-vouchers-to- utility bill payments, holiday/temporary offer-financial-support-to-indian-restaurants-amidst- stoppage on EMI payments & interest, covid-19-crisis/articleshow/74812024.cms?from=mdr, 30 freezing rental dues & restoration of Input March 2020. Tax Credit on GST for all restaurants. 6) The OYO Rooms Website, https://www.oyorooms.com/officialoyoblog/2020/03/30 /oyo-partners-with-apollo-hospitals-to-offer-support-for- Our hotel and restaurant heroes’ commitment to quarantine-facilities, accessed on 3 April 2020. serve the society remains undeterred, even 7) The Travel Daily Media Website, during these unprecedented times, as they work https://www.traveldailymedia.com/pride-hotels-to- distribute-1000-free-food-parcels-pan-india-everyday/, together to help the country tide over the current accessed on 3 April 2020. crisis. 8) The Travel and Leisure India Website, https://travelandleisureindia.in/hotels-feed-covid-19/, accessed on 3 April 2020. 9) Twitter, https://twitter.com/thelalitgroup?lang=en, accessed on 5 April 2020. Sources: 10) LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/six-senses- resorts-&- 1) Anarock Website, https://www.anarock.com/research- spas/?trk=public_profile_position_image&originalSubdo insights/hvs_covid19-impact-on-the-indian-hotels-sector, main=fr, accessed on 5 April 2020.