Jimmy Shaw Takes Over As President Of HRAWI

Mr Jimmy Shaw, Managing Director of The Waterfront Shaw, Lavasa has been elected the new President of The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI. The appointment took place during the 74th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Mumbai on 21st September, 2024, where new Office Bearers for the 2024-25 term were also appointed. In his new role, Mr Shaw will continue to lead HRAWI’s efforts in spearheading various campaigns that cover critical facets of the hospitality industry, including food safety, regulatory advocacy, talent retention and development and sustainability.

 A third-generation hotelier, Mr Shaw also serves as Director of Bona Sera Hotels Ltd and Shaw Hotels & Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd. In addition to his hospitality ventures, he is also the Managing Director of ShawMan Software Pvt Ltd. and Director at IDS NEXT Business Solutions Pvt Ltd. Known for his advocacy within the industry, Mr Shaw previously held the position of Honorary Secretary of HRAWI.

“HRAWI has made significant progress, crossing many important milestones in recent years. The past committee’s leadership worked tirelessly to address member concerns and engage with the Government, facilitating swift resolutions where necessary. The Association has been proactive in addressing key challenges, from simplifying GST compliance to tackling issues like cyber-bullying and talent shortages. My goal is to continue this legacy and work in the best interest of our members and the hospitality sector as a whole. I am grateful to the Executive Committee for placing their trust in me and electing me as President,” says Mr Jimmy Shaw, President, HRAWI.

Under Mr Jimmy Shaw’s leadership, HRAWI will continue engaging with the Government during the GST Council meetings and Union Budgets, collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism and making legal interventions to address industry-wide concerns. The Association will be particularly focused on simplifying the process of obtaining licenses through its recommendations on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).

“We will continue advocating the need to streamline and simplify licensing procedures to enhance the EoDB initiative and reduce administrative burdens. For the hospitality industry to thrive, a business-friendly environment with fewer complexities is essential. We will also continue to work with policymakers to bring about these much-needed reforms. Additionally, the Association will continue hosting its latest initiative - Empowering Hospitality Conclaves & Awards, which aims to bring together industry leaders, experts and stakeholders to discuss and address key issues facing the hospitality sector at regular intervals. Most importantly, going forward our focus will be on creating a greener, more eco-friendly future for our industry and our planet,” concludes Mr Shaw.

The newly appointed Office Bearers include Mr Nirav Gandhi as Senior Vice President, Mr Chetan Mehta as Vice President, Mr Pradeep Shetty as Honorary Secretary, Mr Sumit Suri as Joint Honorary Secretary and Mr Gurbir Singh Bedi as Honorary Treasurer.

Raises Concern Over Being Held Accountable For Accidents Caused By Inebriated Patrons; Discusses Topical Industry Subjects

Mumbai, August : The hotel and restaurant industry raised concerns over being held accountable for drunk driving accidents caused by patrons at the recently concluded Empowering Hospitality Conclave & Awards hosted by the Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) – HRAWI at Hotel Center Point in Nagpur on July 26, 2024. Besides discussing topical issues, the conclave featured presentations by subject matter experts on the new Maharashtra Tourism Policy 2024, Cybersecurity essentials, Technology for enhancing guest experiences, and skill training sessions on subjects such as fire safety and pest management.

Delving into the growing trend of restaurateurs being held responsible for accidents caused by intoxicated patrons, the industry sought guidelines from industry stalwarts, policymakers, and law enforcers participating in the conclave. “The hotel and restaurant industry remains committed to responsible alcohol service and adherence to guidelines. Wherever we are wrong, we are happy to be corrected. However, lately, the restaurant industry has been feeling the full might of enforcement despite operating within the framework of the law. A guest consumes alcohol in a restaurant, causes an accident outside, and the restaurant gets blamed. Shopkeepers who sell knives don’t get held accountable for crimes committed with those items, but licensed restaurateurs have recently been prosecuted for crimes committed by customers. The industry seeks guidance on what regulations it should follow to avoid prosecution for incidents that occur outside its premises," stated Mr. Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI.

Special Guest Dr. Ravinder Singal (IPS), Commissioner of Police, Nagpur City, acknowledged the hospitality industry’s concerns but emphasized the broader perspective law enforcers must maintain while enforcing law and order. “No one needs to fear if they have not broken the law. I am open to discussion with HRAWI, and maybe together we can find a solution that can be replicated across the State,” he said. He also appreciated the high quality of service provided by the Indian hospitality industry.

The Chief Guest of the conclave, Dr. Sagnik Chowdhury, DDG & Regional Director (Western & Central), Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India, expressed his happiness at the conscious effort to create a platform for exchanging insights on various ongoing sectoral issues. He congratulated HRAWI for organizing such seminars and noted, “Guests from all parts of the world visit India, and the hospitality sector is essentially a melting pot of cultural exchanges. Enhancing guest experiences is our core offering; we are more than just venues to stay.” He also emphasized the need for the hospitality industry to focus on sustainability and community ties and implored the industry to dovetail its trade with the tangible heritage and intangible cultural heritage which are India’s core strengths. The highlight of the conclave was the sessions by subject matter experts with topics that had practical applications and directly impacted the day-to-day operations of hotels and restaurants.

The conclave featured Mr. Rajesh Chopra, Head - Hospitality Business Vertical, Ingram Micro India, who presented on how technology can be an enabler for enhancing guest experiences and driving profitability. He also covered Cybersecurity Essentials for the hospitality industry, a crucial area in an increasingly digital world. Ingram Micro hospitality vertical acts as technology aggregator and has created technology solutions for the hospitality industry. These solutions come bundled with friendly financing options and option to recycle e-waste as per pollution control norms. CA Julfesh Shah, Former Vice Chairman of WIRC of ICAI, discussed the New Maharashtra Tourism Policy 2024, emphasizing its impact on the sector. “The new policy offers a 20% cash subsidy (up to ₹20 crores) for tourism projects like hotels and resorts, significantly boosting investment,” Shah said. He noted the previous policy lacked cash incentives. The new policy also includes a 15% subsidy for other tourism facilities with a cap of ₹15 crores. Shah highlighted additional fiscal benefits in Vidarbha, such as 100% SGST refunds and interest subvention on loans. “This policy will be a game changer, generating substantial employment and attracting significant investment to Maharashtra,” he added. Mr. Hemant Khadse, CEO, East Corp Group, shared vital information on the fire life safety of guests and staff in hotel occupancy and covered the significance of passive fire measures, egress and regular maintenance of fire safety. Mr. Jitendra Gawade, Key Account Manager, Envu India, presented on pest prevention techniques, focusing on the selection criteria for pesticides and pest control operators for hotels.

“The Empowering Hospitality Conclave & Awards proved to be a significant event for addressing the current challenges and future opportunities within the hospitality industry, ensuring continued growth and excellence in service,” concluded Mr. Shetty.

HRAWI Hails Maha Govt.’s New Initiatives To Give Boost To Tourism In The State

HRAWI Hails Maha Govt.’s New Initiatives To Give Boost To Tourism In The State Requests State To Offer Special Subsidies To Encourage Development of More Hotels

Mumbai, June:The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI), in a letter addressed to the Hon’ble Chief Minister (CM) - Shri Eknath Sambhaji Shinde, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister - Shri. Devendra G. Fadnavis and Hon’ble Tourism Minister – Shri Mangal Prabhat Lodha has hailed the Government for expediting approvals on various projects across the State that are expected to boost the tourism potential in Maharashtra. The State recently announced a collaboration of upcoming 30 plus properties by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), the Water tourism project at Gosekhurd in Bhandara, MICE centre and Chanakya centre for excellence at Karla near Lonavala, among others.

“HRAWI applauds the initiatives taken by the Government and is optimistic about the opportunities the new projects will bring to the tourism and hospitality sector in the State. The Government's forward-thinking and innovative ideas coupled with proactive promotional efforts, are poised to ignite a tourism boom, both domestically and internationally. These soon to be developed destinations will undoubtedly enthral travellers from around the world and as we embark on making Maharashtra a global tourist destination, it is imperative that we also create top-notch infrastructure to support the tourist inflow. To complement the projects in the pipeline, HRAWI requests the Government for introducing special subsidies to encourage the development of more hotels in the State. This will boost tourism by making it viable for more tourists to access the destinations and also lead to generating revenue for the State,” says Mr Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI.

HRAWI has acknowledged the valuable suggestions put forth for the development of Ambhora Temple, establishment of a Scuba Diving Centre in Koyna Bamnoli. The beautification projects for Sonegaon Lake in Nagpur and Gajba Devi Temple in Sindhudurg too have received much praise.

“We are excited about the upcoming projects and initiatives aimed at boosting tourism in Maharashtra. This boost to tourism will translate to an increasing number of tourists, and it is crucial to enhance the room capacity to meet the rising demand. Maharashtra has around 3,40,000 rooms and with the number of projects in the pipeline, we will require at least double the capacity of hotel rooms. Subsidy for establishing hotels at specified tourist locations, along with incentives for eco-friendly hotels and electricity subsidies, will provide the necessary impetus for the growth of the hospitality sector. Moreover, the tourism and hospitality sector is a major contributor to employment generation in India. According to the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), the sector accounted for 79.86 million direct and indirect jobs which is a significant 15.34 per cent share of employment generation in 2019-2020. With these new projects, we anticipate a further surge in employment opportunities, benefiting both the industry and the workforce,” adds Mr Chetan Mehta, Vice President, HRAWI.

The Association has commended the MTDC for their proactive approach in organizing the Maharashtra Tourism Stakeholder Video Conference on May 26, 2023, which focused on the Expression of Interests for the Operations & Maintenance of the newly constructed resorts at Nawegaon Bandh in Gondia and Chandpur in Bhandara.

“The Hon’ble Tourism Minister’s unwavering dedication and visionary approach in harnessing the tourism potential in Maharashtra have been truly commendable. His tireless efforts to give boost to the tourism industry have paved the way for economic growth of the State. The initiatives taken under his leadership have opened the doors to a vibrant future, where tourists from all corners of the globe will be captivated by the enchanting wonders of Maharashtra, making it a must-visit destination and, the hospitality industry is grateful for his contributions,” concludes Mr Shetty.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 72 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include Restaurants and Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. With membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr J.R.D. Tata. 

NEWS | HRAWI Petitions To The Govt. For Timing Extension For Hotels And Restaurants In The State

HRAWI Petitions To The Govt. For Timing Extension For Hotels And Restaurants In The State

Mumbai, September: The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has submitted a representation to the Hon’ble Chief Minister - Shri Uddhav Thackeray, Hon’ble Chief Secretary - Shri Sitaram Kunte (IAS) and to the Hon’ble Environment, Tourism and Protocol Minister - Shri Aditya Thackeray requesting for an extension of operation timings for hotels and restaurants in the State. The Association has recommended restoring the operation timings of hotels and restaurants as per the license held by establishments, on all days of the week from Monday through Sunday. It has also requested the Government offers relaxation on the condition that restaurant staff be fully vaccinated for resumption of operations.

The Association has stated that since October 2020, restaurants in Maharashtra were allowed to operate under restrictions at 50 per cent capacity with restrictions on timings. But the second wave of the pandemic led to another complete lockdown and later more severe restrictions were imposed on restaurants.

“The rental and salary expenses, servicing of old debts, negative cash flows, and the statutory payment obligations have made running a hotel or restaurant a most unviable and unsustainable business under the present situation; and all its revival efforts have gone down the drain. However, things are looking up for the State with around three crores of its population having received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and the number of new cases is steadily on the decline. Under the circumstances, we request the Government to take immediate measures to restore economic activities in the State and help its citizens to come out of the huge financial losses they have suffered during the last 18 months. For businesses such as restaurants, the curtailed timings of 7am to 10pm is just not viable so we request the Government to restore the timings of restaurants to the operation timings as per the license timings of each establishment on all days of the week,” says Mr Sherry Bhatia, President, HRAWI.

Amongst all the sectors, the hospitality sector in the country has taken the biggest hit due to the pandemic. Business came to a complete standstill after the lockdown came into effect. As of today, 30 per cent of hotels and restaurants in the country have shut down permanently due to financial losses. Over 20 per cent of hotels and restaurants still haven’t opened fully and the remaining 50 per cent are running in losses with revenues below 50 per cent of the pre-COVID19 levels.

“The present timings for restaurants from 7am to 10pm do not complement this business. This is only adding to the losses caused due to the two lockdowns. We recommend that the Government allows hotel and restaurants to revert to the pre-pandemic timings through the week. This will not only benefit restaurants but it also will promote staggered venturing out of the public. Other than this, we also request the Government to be considerate and provide hotels and restaurants relaxation on the condition that the staff be fully vaccinated for resuming operations. We request that the Government allows hotels and restaurants to undertake the pending vaccinations if any, in a gradual manner. We are sure that these positive measures would immensely benefit the people of Maharashtra to come out of the huge economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” concludes Mr. Pradeep Shetty, Sr. Vice President, HRAWI.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 71 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include various restaurants and smaller Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. The bulk of its members like any growth economy are made up of restaurants and budget hotels. With membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel and Restaurant Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr J.R.D. Tata.

HRAWI Holds Online Training On FSSAI’s COVID19 Focused FoSTaC Programme

 The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) in association with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently conducted a COVID-19 focused Online Food Safety Supervisory Training in Advance Catering (FoSTaC) programme. The programme was created especially, for personnel employed in hotels and restaurants so that they are fully equipped with the required information to ensure guest safety and hygiene during the pandemic.

The course covered all the basic principle rules of personal hygiene and also introduced some special provisions to cover any emergencies. The programme stressed on the need for designated Special Officers in case of a COVID-19 emergency. Among other safety protocols to be followed, the trainees were imparted in-depth info on guest handling, kitchen best practices including man power planning and chefs’ responsibilities. 40 Hospitality personnel were trained under the programme which was conducted in collaboration with Parikshan.

“Among the several places open to public, hotels and restaurants are by far the safest and most hygienic spaces. HRAWI wants it members to be doubly cautious and fully prepared for any contingencies. The programme was organised to enable people working in hotels and restaurants to not only ensure guest safety but also their own. The programme was developed by FSSAI especially for the purpose and we are glad that there was proactive participation from our members for this programme. The trainer - Dr Pashupathy is an expert in the field and imparted in-depth knowledge on the finer nuances of food handling and safety to the participants,” says Mr Sherry Bhatia, President, HRAWI.

The programme also covered processes on scheduled housekeeping and disinfections procedures, and the role of Human Resources in a Hospitality establishment. The HRAWI has successfully trained and certified 1675 hospitality professionals across India’s Western region.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 71 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include various restaurants and smaller Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. The bulk of its members like any growth economy are made up of restaurants and budget hotels. With membership base spread across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr J.R.D. Tata. 

Vande Bharat Mission: Authorities seek hotel rooms across the country

India begins its biggest repatriation exercise to bring back 14,800 nationals stuck in 12 countries, the government is earmarking a range of hotel rooms across the spectrum, from one star properties to plush five-stars, for quarantining these travellers who will be landing in different cities
Hotels newly earmarked in Delhi include the Taj Palace Hotel, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel and Le Meridien, according to people aware of the matter. Besides Taj Palace, the Indian Hotels Company Limited ..
(IHCL) has earmarked rooms in five of its hotels in Bengaluru for the exercise, including in Taj MG Road, Taj West End and the Vivanta hotel in Whitefield.

“We are glad to be able to offer support and care for our community,” said a Shangri-La spokesperson. “The hotel will accommodate some of these returning travellers as and when required. During this period, we will take all necessary precautions and strictly abide by the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,”.

“We have got 200 rooms. The Delhi government had approached us. As per the instructions that we have received, all the guests are supposed to pay for the rooms. The government is not footing the bill. In our case it’s Rs 4,000 for a single room and Rs 4,800 for a double room, inclusive of meals plus taxes,” said Tarun Thakral, Chief Operating Officer at Le Meridien. “I think they are giving options to arriving passengers to choose from hotel categories and rates.”
The Delhi government has reportedly allocated 1,200 rooms in Delhi and National Capital Region for the purpose.

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) said it has been in constant touch with the authorities in Maharashtra and has arranged more than 1,500 rooms at discounted rates in Mumbai across categories
At IBIS New Delhi Aerocity, there are 200 rooms which have been committed for the repatriation exercise
Lemon Tree Hotels said it has been approached by different state authorities on room availability and quotation in locations like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Alleppey, Kochi, Amritsar and Lucknow.
Besides IHCL, hotel chains such as Lemon Tree, Accor and Radisson Hotels have been offering quarantining services for asymptomatic people during the lockdown.