Hero Image

Hoteliers in North Karnataka struggle to survive even after easing of restrictions

Hubballi: Recovering from the blow that the Covid-19 crisis has dealt the sector is feeling very much like restarting their businesses for those in the hotel industry in North Karnataka . The drastic drop in the number of patrons to restaurants, and prevalent reservations among the people to travel has resulted in activities in the tourism sector grounding to a near halt .



Owner of Canara Hotel in Hubballi, Ananthapadmanabh Aithal said that the expected upswing in business the sector had anticipated in the wake of the easing of restrictions had not happened. “It is as though we are starting our businesses afresh,” Aithal added.

He said that, the state government’s decision to impose a week-long lockdown in July to arrest the surge in Covid-19 cases had affected the sector very badly, particularly when it was poised for a slow recovery. Aithal also pointed to the rain as a factor that had had an adverse impact on their trade.

Owner of Karavali Hotel in Haveri Prakash Sanjeev Shetty said that Covid-19 had sounded a veritable death knell to the sector. “The rise in the number of Covid-19 cases is making people highly reluctant to come to restaurants for a meal. The floating population having returned home, closure of educational institutions and with a bulk of the people working from home, hotels and restaurants are not getting any business,” Shetty added.

A representative of the management of the Shivani Inn in Gadag district said that lack of patronage had compelled them to close their restaurant. “Only our bars are open for service,” the representative said.

Gadag and Betageri towns are renowned for the large number of small eateries, where idlis remain the most popular delicacy. The idlis served at these restaurants has a unique taste, and denizens flocked to these eateries to savour it. “The steep losses we are incurring has prompted many owners of idli eateries to keep their establishments open only till 12pm,” said Raju Meharwade, owner of Meharwade Idli Centre.

Meanwhile, in Hampi, a world heritage site that draws lakhs of tourists per year, has witnessed a very lean spell in terms of the number of visitors in 2020. Many guest houses that were forced to close following the enforcement of the lockdown remain shut. Sandesh Mudgal of Hermann’s Guest House said that many establishments associated with the hospitality sector in Hampi had registered zero business owing to the pandemic.

READ ON APP