Tourism industry's law for 1 and 2 star hotels meets with protests

One and two star hotels are being prepped for a more comfortable stay, starting next year. Since hotels contribute to the overall tourism experience, the tourism ministry has made it mandatory for all-star hotels including 1 and 2 star grade hotels to have attached bathrooms by September 1, 2010.

Bigger loos, 24x7 hot and cold water
But hoteliers who are already facing a downfall in business are upset over the directives issued by the ministry. "Making physical changes to the existing rooms is not feasible. This directive should have been made mandatory for upcoming hotels," says S P Jain, president of Hotel and Restaurant Association, Western India (HRA-WI).
Hotels have also been asked to increase the minimum size of the bathrooms (see box) and had made it mandatory for 1 and 2 star hotels to install western style WC in the toilet.

"It is unfair on the part of the ministry. They should exempt the old hotels. As minute changes in hotels add more expenses. There are other ways of upgrading the facilities or services in hotels," adds R S Bedi, owner of Hotel Diplomat, a two-star property at Apollo Bunder.

u00a0"Earlier the terror attacks and now recession has burnt holes in our pockets. These demands are adding to our woes. Why can't they exempt the hoteliers from any such directives at least for a year?" asks an hotelier from Grant Road, who did not wished to be named.