The Food & Beverage industry and hospitality industry were affected the most during the pandemic. Tourism, one of the essential backbone of the economy, was also affected. However, the hospitality industry in Maharashtra has bounced back! According to reports, several MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) resorts have reached 60% occupancy.
MTDC Resorts Have 60% Occupancy This Diwali!
Due to a notable increase in visitors to the state, Maharashtra’s hospitality sector has recovered greatly over this holiday season, with hotel room reservations surpassing pre-Covid levels (2019). As per Deepak Harane, regional manager (Pune), MTDC, nearly 60% of MTDC resorts are reserved for the Diwali season.
Within one week, authorities anticipate that it will rise to 100%. Numerous inquiries from both individuals and families have been coming in. Their resorts at Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, Ganpatipule in Konkan, Lonar (for the Lonar crater), and Fardapur near the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar have had the highest number of reservations. In fact, they often get inquiries for their resorts located close to these caverns.
According to representatives of the Poona Hoteliers’ Association (PHA) and the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), Maharashtra currently has a hotel occupancy rate of roughly 75% and above, The Times of India reported. Over the Diwali season, an additional spike is anticipated.
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As per the Free Press Journal report, the state of Assam has received the highest number of visitors from Maharashtra. Kumar Padmapani Bora, managing director of ATDC, states that they have conducted an outreach programme and roadshow in Mumbai to attract visitors. In fact, both states have signed an MoU which will facilitate modern ferry service to religious sites around Guwahati. They include Kamakhya, Chakreshwar, Umananda and so on.
The Ideal Occupancy Has Reached Around 70%
According to Amit Sharma, PHA president and GM, Amanora The Fern, Pune, during the Diwali holidays, a lot of visitors travel to Pune from Mumbai, Gujarat and the northern Indian states. They prefer stopping at adjacent locations like Mahabaleshwar, Lonavla, and Mulshi. In good Pune hotels, occupancy has generally exceeded pre-Covid levels.
The majority of hotels in Pune are now 75% or more full. If more leisure tourists book rooms, the price may increase even more. The ideal occupancy rate for many hotels is between 70% and 95%. Nearly 90% of hotel dinners are reserved for the wedding season after Diwali.
According to Pradeep Shetty, president, of HRAWI, a rise in domestic leisure travel is driving up demand for hotel rooms at the state’s resort areas. It includes Mahabaleshwar, Matheran, and Panchgani. These resorts are doing very well for the Diwali season. It is anticipated that their occupancy rate will rise above pre-pandemic levels.
For business hotels, however, there is nothing out of the norm because most people visit cities for leisure purposes around Diwali. From the time of Diwali till the end of the month, hotels in the state’s most famous tourist sites are probably booked up.
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This improvement in the hospitality industry of Maharashtra is certainly positive news for those dependent on tourism for their livelihood.
Cover Image Courtesy: MTDC/ Website
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