BJP hits out at OYO for hurting hotel business

PORVORIM: BJP legislators demanded that the State government intervenes in resolving the hotel industry issue, who they claimed are suffering due to the entry of OYO Hotels, an online hotel agency. 

Pointing out that the occupancy in hotels have drastically declined due to the lack of quality tourists and high GST rates, Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo said that the local hoteliers are suffering due to OYO Hotels, who are renting out rooms at a very low rate without any revenue to the government. 

“OYO is an online hotel agency. They have done contracts with small guest houses, hotels that are not registered and are renting out the rooms to tourists at a very low rate without GST charges. Since the rates are low, tourists are booking the rooms using OYO Hotels,” he said. 

“The small local hoteliers as well as the star hotels are suffering due to this. Their business is at stake. They are already suffering because of no or low occupancy.  The government needs to intervene immediately in the matter,” Ticlo demanded. 

He also brought to the notice of the House the poor quality tourist that State receives, who are indulge in cooking in open areas and living in fields. 

Thivim MLA Nilkant Halankar alleged that retired deputy sub inspectors, ex-police inspectors are on the pay-roll of the OYO Hotels who are granting all protection to the business. “This online hotel service is eating into the business of local hotels,” he said adding that OYO hotels are taking non-registered hotels on board. 

Ticlo also stressed on the need for immediate finalisation of the tourism master plan, which is pending for nearly four-five years now.

Speaking on the tourism issue, NCP MLA Churchill Alemao demanded that government should immediately ban businesses undertaken by Lamani community along the beach belts. “All these people and their businesses should be banned. They are harassing tourists. The government has to act and ensure tourist safety,” he said. 

GFP MLA and former Dy CM Vijai Sardesai demanded that the 28% GST charged to the hotels should be rationalised in a bid to protect the industry. “When the then CM (late)Manohar Parrikar was ill, he was planning to cut the GST to 10 per cent, while bearing the 18 per cent cost through State,” he said, while urging government to look into the matter. 

Sardesai said the government has no vision to increase charter flights and promote Goa as tourism-friendly. He also said that government should consider visa on arrival free. 

Congress Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco too urged the government to take action against OYO Hotels, fearing that the agency will take over the industry if they are allowed to enter into Goa’s tourism business.  “The government will have to act at this point only. We cannot wait for them to flourish and then to act,” said Reginaldo.