The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Hospitality industry leaders shocked

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Friday, Nov 28, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hospitality industry leaders shocked

A. Saye Sekhar

HYDERABAD: One surely feels irritated when a sniffer dog enters the car for a security check while driving into the Marriott Hotel. But that is part of security check there, while all other star hotels check the vehicles before allowing them in.

These steps are fallout of the last year’s twin blasts in the city. Mumbai terror attack on the Taj and Trident Hotels left the hospitality industry leaders shocked. Henceforth, the luxurious welcome into the portals of star hotels will be available to guests only after they pass through a thorough security check. Access control for vehicles is the first step implemented in The Kakatiya ITC Hotel, apart from other regular measures, according to its General Manager Virender Razdan. “I don’t think any hotel anywhere in the hotel is equipped to fight terrorist attacks. We are in hospitality industry where we strive to give the best of experience to our guests. What happened in Mumbai is an unfortunate incident. Our security is not trained to deal with anti-terror attacks. A brainstorming has to happen on the security concerns in hotels,” he said here on Thursday.

Veer Vijay Singh, Director of TAJGVK Hotels, said the hotels doubled the strength of its security teams. “We are closely working with authorities to take all measures necessary to step up security in the properties,” he observed.

Ty Collins, General Manager of Marriott, says, “Our customer’s security is the highest priority for us. Unfortunately, in line with that commitment we do not discuss our specific security measures.” Novotel Hotels sent a note to all their guests briefing them about the security measures taken. The entry and exit ways were closed and vehicles were being allowed only after subjecting them to scanning and individuals are frisked, said Pavitran Nambiar, General Manager of Novotel-HICC. The A. P. Hoteliers’ Association, at an emergency meeting, decided to beef up security and provide utmost protection to guests and staff, said general secretary Pradeep Dutt.

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Andhra Pradesh