New Delhi, Aug 25 (UNI) Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Tuesday said reopening of hotels and restaurants, the two biggest segments of the tourism industry, in the National Capital, is a positive move which will help in pumping domestic travel and industry.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has allowed hotels, which were closed since March, to reopen from August 24 onwards in Delhi, but with strict COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in place.
Speaking during a visit to Hotel Ashok, run by ITDC , under Ministry of Tourism, to take stock of preparedness, the Minister said,' DDMA’s decision is a welcome step towards the revival of tourism and hospitality activities in the capital city.”
Mr Patel intimated that India Tourism Development Corporation has provided rigorous training around the health and safety protocols pertaining to COVID-19 to its entire staff and developed a detailed SOP for each and every division.
'ITDC has also signed an MOU with AIIMS to form an advisory body to monitor the situation of COVID-19 on real time basis and take necessary steps as and when needed,' he said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had permitted to start the hotel, restaurant, and hospitality services in the tourism sector from June 8, 2020, in a phased manner.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had issued SOPs and Protocols for the operation of Hotels, Restaurants and other accommodation Units and Ministry of Tourism had subsequently come up with Operational Guidelines for Hotels, Restaurants and other accommodation units which were circulated countrywide.
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