Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 10: Dakshina Kannada District Hotel Owners Association has decided to affect an increase in the prices of eatables and drinks served in restaurants across the district in order to recoup the heavy losses suffered by the hotel industry during the coronavirus-related lockdown period.

President of the association, Kudpi Jagadish Shenoy, said that hotel owners have been facing heavy losses due to the coronavirus pandemic. "We have no other option but to hike prices to meet the losses. Prices of all items including LPG, electricity and provisions have gone up. Therefore, an increase of 15 to 20 percent has been made," he said.

However, Udupi Hotel Owners Association has decided against increasing the prices of eatables even though prices of essentials have gone up. Still, some of the hotels were seen having jacked up prices by five to ten percent on Monday. President of the association, Dr Tallur Shivaram Shetty said that it was decided not to increase the burden on the people who have already been facing numerous problems on account of corona, hike in gas and other items. The hotel owners are afraid that if the prices are hiked, there may be a reduction in the number of customers. They hope that prices of LPG and other items might fall in due course.