Hotels that accommodate hundreds of official guests during the winter session of the State legislature here now want the government to hold the monsoon session in Belagavi rather than the usual practice of holding the winter session or have a permanent schedule for the winter session.
It is because December is the season of marriages and hotels and resorts cannot rent out their rooms for a minimum of 10 days during the month as rooms are taken over by the government to accommodate officials, MLAs, MLCs, media persons, and other guests.
Sources in the Belagavi Hotel Owners’ Association told The Hindu that the non-availability of rooms had forced many marriage parties to opt for wedding venues outside Belagavi in nearby cities such as Hubballi and Dharwad. In addition, caterers and marriage hall owners are also losing their business.
They said that representatives of the association joined with some members of the Karnataka Hotel Owners’ Association met Speaker U.T. Khader in Bengaluru recently and apprised him of their concern. They will again meet the Speaker in Belagavi during the session to press for their demand.
Sources said that more than 80 hotels in Belagavi have more than 3,000 rooms. While taking over the rooms, the government should allow hotels to rent out at least 10% of them on their own to general guests, they demanded.
They said that as monsoon is the off season, none will be at loss if the legislature session is held in this northern city at that time.
