G20, Tourism Boost Pushes Hotel Industry To Pre-Pandemic Level: HAI

The Hotel Association of India (HAI) Secretary General MP Bezbaruah noted that the hotel occupancy and room rates have climbed back to pre-pandemic levels.  

The upcoming G20 summit in New Delhi has boosted the hotel industry to new heights. The Hotel Association of India (HAI) Secretary General MP Bezbaruah noted that the hotel occupancy and room rates have climbed back to pre-pandemic levels.  

In conversation with PTI, the HAI executive stated that on account of increasing demand due to the G20 summit and a boost in tourism, the hotel industry is seeing room rates touch new highs. He said, “Due to the existing demand-supply situation, room rates have been sometimes a little higher than the pre-pandemic. I understand there is very big demand at this time from not only G20 but also from tourists and people who are coming to the metropolitan cities to see all this happening in the cities and for that demand is quite high. Apparently, the prices also have gone up because it is primarily a demand and supply situation in the market.” 

Commenting on the feedback from members regarding the high hotel tariffs, the HAI Secretary noted, “Basically what I can say is that occupancy rates and the room rates are back to pre-pandemic times. In fact, the room rates have been sometimes a little higher than the pre-pandemic times but the view from the industry also is that you cannot take the rates as static when everything else is dynamic. Inflation is going up, people's income level is going up and it will have some impact on the rates.”

Bezbaruah didn’t clarify the tariff increase in percentage numbers, calling the industry ‘a very composite industry’. He stated that certain hotels charge exclusive prices for the kind of services they offer, while smaller and medium-scale hotels charge their own prices. 

The HAI executive noted that major hotel brands have been coordinating with the government regarding the preparation for the upcoming G20 Summit. He added, “Main branded hotels in the metropolitan cities have been in close touch with the government and all the accommodation arrangements have been worked out in consultation with the government. Whatever facilities are required in the room rates or other facilities have been all worked out there so there is no problem there. There is no problem with accommodation so far as the main guests are concerned.”

Notably, the G20 Summit is to be held in New Delhi next month from September 9 to 10.