SHILLONG: The state government may have allowed hotels in the state to reopen from July 1, but hoteliers in Shillong have little to cheer about as outsiders, who are their potential customers, are still barred from visiting the state.
Parambir Singh, President of the Federation of Shillong Hotels, on Saturday said reopening of hotels in the state will be mere symbolic with no customers.
He also said that even if there is going to be a little bit of business, it would be from within the state but that would not help hoteliers tide over their problems.
Clouds of gloom had begun to gather over the tourism sector even before the national lockdown to fight COVID-19 came into force in March, because of law and order problems attributed to widespread protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and later against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act; footfall of outsiders in Shillong started dipping and guests at hotels became scarce.
A hotelier, echoing Singh but wishing anonymity, said the hospitality sector deserves some kind of bailout package.
“The pandemic has hit us really, really hard, we need help”, he said adding that it appeared the virus was here to stay for long.
The government decided to reopen hotels after receiving inputs from deputy commissioners and protocols and SOPs would be put in place for the purpose.
Some hotels in the city have been requisitioned as designated quarantine centres and would continue to remain so.