 Early Times Report
Jammu, Mar 15: A significant meeting of the Jammu Hotels, Restaurants, and Bar Association (JHRBA) was held today at Hotel Taj Vivanta Jammu City Centre, where industry leaders came together to discuss critical matters affecting the hospitality sector.
The meeting, chaired by Raju Chowdhary, President of JHRBA and Managing Director of Hotel Taj Vivanta Jammu City Centre, covered a variety of issues with a particular focus on promoting Jammu as a premier destination for weddings.
Chowdhary highlighted Jammu’s immense potential to attract destination weddings, proposing that the city could offer wedding packages at just a quarter of the price compared to popular wedding destinations such as Jaipur and Udaipur.
“Jammu is uniquely positioned, with its close proximity to Mata Vaishno Devi, making it a spiritual and scenic destination for weddings.
The government should promote Jammu as a ‘Blessed Wedding Destination,’ capitalizing on its cultural and religious significance,” said Chowdhary.
In addition to discussions on wedding tourism, the meeting also addressed concerns regarding SGST and CGST reimbursement, particularly in relation to the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy. Despite the provisions outlined in the policy, hoteliers expressed concerns over the lack of clarity and guidelines on how to access these reimbursements.
Chowdhary emphasized the need for formal notification and clear guidelines on how these reimbursements could be claimed. “While these incentives are mentioned in the policy, there is no clear path forward.
A formal notification with proper guidelines is essential to ensure hoteliers can take full advantage of these incentives without facing roadblocks,” he stated.
Another key issue discussed was the rising cost of power for the hospitality sector, which has become a major concern for hoteliers across Jammu.
With the increasing demand for electricity and the high operational costs, the JHRBA stressed the need for a more affordable and sustainable power tariff for the service sector, particularly hotels and restaurants.
“Like the manufacturing sector, the service industry, including hotels, restaurants, and bars, requires stable and competitive energy pricing to maintain operations efficiently.
We urge the authorities to review the power tariff structure to ensure that the service sector receives the same attention as other industries in terms of energy costs,” said Chowdhary.
The meeting concluded with a consensus on the need for continued dialogue with the government to address these concerns and work together to create a more robust and transparent framework for the hospitality industry.
JHRBA remains committed to fostering the growth of Jammu’s hospitality sector, ensuring its role as a major contributor to the region’s economic development and cultural tourism.
Other members present in the meeting were Rattandeep Anand, Vice President, JHRBA and Owner Hotel Asia, Vikram Gupta, General Secretary JHRBA and Managing Partner Radisson Blu, Siddhant Chowdhary, Managing Director, Hotel Taj Vivanta Jammu City Centre, Nirdosh Trehan, Owner Hotel Ritz Manor, Chaitanya Chowdhary, Owner, Zone by the park, Sanjeev Prabhakar, Owner Hotel Anutham, Chandershekhar, Owner Hotel KC Resi dency and CP Gupta, Owner Hotel Inn Riviera. |
