With just a day away from the New Year bash, most hotels and resorts in the capital are getting spruced up and managements are working on to roll out different entertainment events for their guests. However, amidst all these preparations, managements are keeping their fingers crossed about recovering their investments due to many factors – expensive passes, private parties and the fear of police on drink driving.
Unlike last couple years, when hotels and resorts maintained a low-key affair due to Telangana agitation and Nirbhaya incident, this time most hotels, especially the ones in five-star category and resorts, are organising different programmes.
Though this time there is no ambiguity over Telangana and last time many had voluntarily called off their new year celebrations following the Nirbhaya incident, most managements’ are sceptical about the turnout at their events, says Andhra Pradesh Hotels and Restaurants Association secretary Pradeep Kumar Dutt. There are over 130 hotels and restaurants including three, four and five stars in the capital.
Many revellers are preferring private parties at homes, apartments or farm houses to avoid being caught by police for drink driving. “Drunk driving checking is forcing people to think twice before venturing out and attending parties. This despite hotels hiring cab drivers and providing drop-in service for their guests,” says manager of a popular hotel.
After partying hard, most revellers want to avoid the social embarrassment before drivers and others. Police have already warned that parties would be permitted till 1 p.m. only and they will not tolerate drink driving.
Costly tickets Expensive tickets is another reason why people want to avoid hotels and resorts. Generally, five star hotels spend about Rs.25 lakh to Rs.50 lakh for organising New Year bashes, three star hotels spend about Rs.8 to 10 lakh. While, the entry passes in five star hotels ranges from Rs. 8000 to Rs.12, 000 per person, the same in four and three star ones cost about Rs.5,500 to Rs.7,500 per person.
Expenditure for New Year parties is increasing every passing year. Celebrities and disc jockey are demanding exorbitant sums.
A disc jockey, who charges about Rs.7,000 per single performance during regular days, is now demanding Rs. 25,000 and eventually all this lead to escalating cost of passes, explains Mr. Dutt.
