Stricter guidelines issued for hoteliers

CCTVs FOR HOTELS HIGHER THAN 2-STAR AND USE OF LOCAL NAMES EMPHASISED FOR BUSINESSES
GANGTOK, 04 March: The Tourism Department, its name recently expanded to Tourism & Civil Aviation Department, has released a notification laying down guidelines and instructions for “strict compliance” by all hoteliers and travel and tour operators in Sikkim.
The 7-point list of guidelines begins by requiring every hotel owner to supply the name of the lessee of the property along with the Lease Deed Agreement to the Tourism Department. This, apparently “to monitor the performance, sanitation, local employment, disposal of garbage, accommodation and service charges in the hotels”.

The notification issued “by order and in the name of the Governor”, also calls on hoteliers to “emphasize to display the local name of the Hotels/ business enterprise”.
Citing “security reasons”, the notification also directs hotels to register guests only after production of a xerox copy of Identification Certificate/ Card at the reception counter.
The same concern appears to also have led to the inclusion of another requirement for hotels above 2-Star category to keep a CCTV “at an appropriate and conspicuous place of the Hotel to identify any unsocial activities at the time of requirement by the Investigating Authority”.
No foreigner is to be offered board in a hotel, including “dhabas” the notification details, without production of the original copy of the Inner Line Permit/ Restricted Area Permit.
Hoteliers and tour operators are also required to display he tariff, again, “at some conspicuous place” and submit detailed bills to guests and clients “to avoid any kind of malpractices which includes dishonesty, cheating, touting, impersonation, obstruction in allowing free choice for shopping or stay or travel arrangements, charging higher than that displayed on the label or remuneration higher than that fixed”.