Hospitality firms launch slew of initiatives to help in times of COVID-19 pandemic

Leading hospitality firms ITC Hotels, Radisson Hotel Group and Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels are taking a slew of initiatives to serve healthcare providers and community at large in times of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Leveraging its rich expertise in food and hospitality services, the key initiative of ITC Hotels has been food distribution across cities based on the requirements of the local administration as well as hospitals, the company said in a statement.

While in New Delhi, ITC Maurya and Sheraton have been providing over 1,500 meals daily for distribution to migrant workers; in Bengaluru, ITC Gardenia is lending its support with 1,000 food packets daily for 15 days (15,000 meals) to Municipal Corporation, ITC Hotels said.

In Mumbai, ITC Grand Central has made arrangements to deliver meals to doctors in MG Hospital. Food has also been catered to doctors at the Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai by ITC Grand Central, it added.

In Lucknow, Fortune Hotel is also lending assistance through the provision of more than 1,000 meals per day. This initiative will be progressively rolled out in other metros including Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad, ITC Hotels said.

In addition to providing meals, ITC Hotel properties in Jaipur and Goa have provided shower caps for doctors and healthcare workers as well as ensuring availability of sanitisers, it added.

"ITC Maratha, Mumbai was identified as one of the quarantine spaces by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. ITC Hotels is also working closely with the local administration and embassies and offered similar space at ITC Grand Chola, Chennai and ITC Kohenur, Hyderabad, to enable stopover of asymptomatic international travellers as and when required," ITC Hotels said.

ITC Hotels remains fully committed to serving national priorities during this unprecedented situation, the statement said.

In similar vein, Radisson Hotel Group is also contributing in a number of ways to support the government and the community in the fight against COVID-19.

"I am glad to mention that, along with our partners, we at Radisson Hotel Group, are collectively reaching out to nearly 20,000 beneficiaries per day with food and food supplies and have contributed Rs 1 crore so far to various state relief funds and Prime Minister's relief fund," Radisson Hotel Group South Asia MD and Vice-President (Operations) Zubin Saxena said.

Radisson Hotel Group remains deeply committed to its communities and the country in the fight against COVID-19, he added.

"At individual level, many of our hotels are also contributing to non-profit organisations. We also continue to routinely engage with industry, government and trade bodies to advocate for policy and relief measures for the industry at large," Saxena said.

Hospitality firm Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Ltd (ASPHL) also said it is committed to working with communities and being responsive to their needs in the time of crisis.

The Park Hotels has launched a initiative, #THEParkHeartofHope, to provide a helping hand to its guests and neighbours, the company said in a statement.

The Park Bangalore, THE Park Chennai, THE Park Calangute Goa, THE Park Baga River Goa and THE Park Hyderabad are doing neighbourhood services for all their neighbours and especially for senior citizens, it added.

"We have launched a neighbourhood service initiative, #THEParkHeartOfHope across our hotels, wherein anybody especially the senior citizens can call us for any help, be it groceries, medicines or food," Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Managing Director Vijay Dewan said.

The team respond to the request immediately taking all safety precautions. "We are also providing free food every day to the underprivileged and community warriors," he added.