TOURISM -- 7:

ELECTIONS ARE AFFECTING PEAK SEASON HOTEL BUSINESS IN NILGIRIS

P S SUNDAR 

Elections are affecting hotels’ business in Nilgiris this peak summer as many prefer to defer their travel.  

“Hotels are busy during weekends but rooms are empty during weekdays, contrary to normal happening in peak season May.   Elections have hit hotels’ business substantially”, N Chandra Shekar, Secretary, Nilgiri Hotel and Restaurant Association, told me. 

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“People from other states are seeing this as ‘election season’ rather than ‘summer season’ in Nilgiris and are not all that comfortable to travel now.  Hoteliers are waiting for pick up of business after election results are declared on May 19”, R Muralidharan, General Manager, Gateway Hotel Coonoor noted.  

“We will introduce attractions for tourists after May 19 so that the rest of the peak season is not lost in the height of elections.  Some professional conferences scheduled in our hotel have been postponed because of elections”, disclosed Sudharshan Motwani, Managing Director, Orchid Square Boutique Hotel, Coonoor.

“Elections have upset our schedules for three weeks in peak May season but we hope that the last 10 days will bring in revival when Fruit Show and Flower Show are being conducted”, P Vibhakar, General Manager, Taj Savoy Hotel Ooty said.

“We have lost nearly 20 per cent of our business so far this season and we fear this situation will continue till May 19.  With many hotels around us reporting low occupancy during weekdays unlike usual peak May, our restaurant business has suffered drastically because of elections”, G Ujjual, Managing Director, Quality group of Restaurants, added.

   

(response can also be sent to:: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)