SARWAR AWAN
ISLAMABAD President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Muhammad Ahmed Waheed has said that hotels in Islamabad are extending their full cooperation to the government for making stay arrangements for the passengers coming from different countries and stressed that government should revise their current room rates fixed by the NDMA as these are not feasible to run the affairs of hotels. He said this while talking to a delegation of Hotels and Motels Association, Islamabad/Rawalpindi and Northern Areas that called on him. The delegation was led by President Muhammad Akram Farid. Waheed said that the cooperation of three star/four star hotels with the government for providing stay to overseas passengers in this difficult time is laudable. However, he stressed that government should increase room rate charges minimum up to Rs.8000/night so that hotels may not suffer losses. He said that to provide all required services to the passengers coming from various countries, all departments of hotels are operational due to which they have to pay staff salaries and utility bills. However, it is not possible for hotels to meet their minimum expenses at the current charges being paid by the government. He said that due to coronavirus, stay of overseas passengers in hotels could prolong for many months and urged that government to engage hotel owners in dialogue to revise their rates in order to save them from further business loss. Speaking at the occasion, Muhammad Akram Farid, President, Hotels and Motels Association Islamabad/Rawalpindi and Northern Areas said that three star and four star hotels in Islamabad were fully cooperating with the government in handling passengers coming from various countries and were contributing their share in controlling the spread of coronavirus and government should take immediate action to address issues of hotels.
