Hoteliers in the State are apprehensive about the possibility of prohibition, said T. Natarajan, secretary, South India Hotels and Restaurants Association, as they do not know what the prohibition policy will be like.
“If, for instance, prohibition in Tamil Nadu is similar to that in Bihar, which is complete, it will definitely affect tourism, especially in beach and hill resorts and other spots where people go to holiday. The MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions) market too will be affected,” he said.
If, however, star hotels are allowed to continue to operate their bars then their sales will see an increase, Mr. Natarajan said. The drinking population, he said, had increased, with a lot more people drinking socially.
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“For instance, the wine consumption was nearly zero about 25 years ago, but now, it makes up almost 30 per cent of liquor sales in hotels,” he said.
M. K. Ajit Kumar, CEO, Asia Pacific Tours, said prohibition would not affect inbound international tourists, but it would definitely affect the business tourism sector in the State.
“Foreign tourists generally do not come to India to drink, so it may not affect their travel plans. But MICE tourism will be affected — travelers who come in for conventions, for instance, generally have cocktail dinners built into their events,” he said.
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In Tamil Nadu, Mr. Natarajan said, the MICE market makes up about 25 to 30 per cent of the total business in hotels. Leisure travel is seasonal, he said, and can be over 50 per cent during a season, and 20 to 25 per cent off-season.