NEW DELHI: A clutch of industry bodies representing the hospitality sector in India have petitioned Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharam to extend the scope of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme and to bail them out from the severe liquidity crunch and NPAs they are facing after coronavirus pandemic halted their recovery.
Key bodies including the Hotel Association of India (HAI), Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and the Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) have over the past month submitted representations to Sitharaman urging the government to provide a ‘Special Credit Guarantee Window’ to the hospitality sector under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS).
File photo
NEW DELHI: : India could soon reopen its doors to foreign tourists from countries where the Covid situation is under control, by following all required health protocol.
Government officials on Thursday said inter-ministerial talks are on for a “calibrated resumption of tourist visas on a country-specific basis”. Owing to Covid, India had in last March suspended most visas issued to foreigners. Later, it allowed foreigners with certain visa types except tourist to travel here.
“It is crucial to reopen India to international tourists. We are doing below-average-rate business. Hotels in leisure destinations (like Goa, Rajasthan and Kerala) have 65% to 70% occupancy because of strong revenge travel by domestic travellers. City hotels have 30%-35% occupancy and overall occupancy is about 50%,” said Nakul Anand, ITC executive director and chairman of Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism and Hospitality.
India may open up for tourists from ‘Covid-free’ nations soon
SECTIONS
Last Updated: Feb 19, 2021, 10:21 AM IST
Share
Synopsis
Government officials on Thursday said inter-ministerial talks are on for a “calibrated resumption of tourist visas on a country-specific basis”. Owing to Covid, India had in last March suspended most visas issued to foreigners. Later, it allowed foreigners with certain visa types except tourist to travel here.
File photo
(This story originally appeared in on Feb 19, 2021)India could soon reopen its doors to foreign tourists from countries where the Covid situation is under control, by following all required health protocol.
Government officials on Thursday said inter-ministerial talks are on for a “calibrated resumption of tourist visas on a country-specific basis”. Owing to Covid, India had in last March suspended most visas issued to foreigners. Later, it allowed foreigners with certain visa types except tourist to travel her