Meeting with the hotel owners who came forward to let the government use their hotels as quarantine centres in Phuentshogling yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering proposed raising the hotel rates provided they retain all their staff.
Until yesterday, the hotels provided free rooms and charged Nu 600 for meals per bed and other necessary facilities a day.
It was agreed that budget hotels would be given Nu 1,000 per bed and Nu 1500 for double bedrooms. In the case of three-star hotels, a single bed will be given Nu 1,200 while a double bed will get Nu 2,000. Prime Minister said that the economy will be hampered due to COVID-19 but it is the government’s mandate not to let people lose their jobs.
“The government will bear the loss of raising the rates. So I talked with organizer here and told him that we need to top up. As of now, out of emotions, you are coming forward to support but after some time you will start feeling it when you go to banks to repay the loan at the end of the month,” said Dr Lotay Tshering, the Prime Minister.
“As long as the food and some of the basic necessities are covered by the government, we were willing to offer. That is how we came forward and offered our properties. Later, the government came forward to cover the utilities, electricity and water, which we agreed. Wifi, telephone and all, we didn’t even consider those. We offered all these at just Nu 600 and even the staff are provided for free,” said Tshering Wangmo, a Hotelier in Phuentshogling.
As of now, 27 hotels came forward to support the government. Nearly 600 people are quarantined in 19 hotels in Phuentshogling. The government encourages other hotels to come forward and support the initiative. Prime Minister also visited point of entries, held a series of meetings with various stakeholders and visited sites at Pasakha during the past two days.
Sonam Penjor
