The leadership of Imo Hotels Association has called on their numerous guests in the state and outside to disregard the rumour surrounding a letter purportedly from Imo State Government requesting for 100 percent reservation of hotel rooms from 4th to 12th November, 2023.
Briefing newsmen in Owerri Sunday, the Chief Servant of Imo Hotels Association, Chima Chukwunyere, expressed regret that such rumour has caused more harm than good to the hotel industry in the state.
He declared that all hotels operating in Imo State are open for business, while calling on their guests to continue to patronize the industry despite the rumour making the rounds.
Chukwunyere recalled that sometime last week, a letter from the State government came to the Directors and General Managers of Hotels in the state, requesting for reservation of all hotel rooms of all categories from 4th to 12th November, 2023.
He said that the same letter demanded that hotel Directors and MDs should indicate the number of rooms, categories, and the rates for the rooms.
According to him, Captains of Hotel Industry gladly received the information because for hotels to have full occupancy for such a number of days means a miracle from God. He added that such has never happened before and hotels have never received 60% occupancy for a long time.
The Chief Servant described it as a shock that barely a few days after the information came to the Hotel Directors and MDs, it became a political issue between the ruling party and other political parties in the state.
Continuing, he noted that a second letter came after where the government stated their position that the exercise was aimed at checkmating influx of thugs based on their intelligence report.
Chukwunyere expressed surprise that a day after the explanation was made, there was a Press Release which they believed came from the office of the Commissioner for Information and Strategy telling all the Hotels to disregard the previous information asking Hoteliers to make reservation of rooms, insisting that government is not aware and has no intention to book all the Hotels in the town for that number of days.
The Chief Servant noted with dismay that the information flying has done more harm than good adding that majority of their guests were meant to believe that if they come to Owerri from 4th to 12th November, there will not be any accomodation for them and so they resolved to stay back.
Chukwunyere categorically informed their guests that Hotels in Owerri are open for all guests while appealing to them to still find time and visit the state.
He said: “The information about 100% occupancy of hotels in the state is from the pit of hell which is aimed at destroying the industry in the state.”
He said that it is the first time in the history of the industry that no hotel is able to witness 1% occupancy while some are having zero at the time as the industry is suffering the high cost of diesel which is sold at N1,300 while fuel is sold at N680 a litre.
He urged the Governor to support the Industry either through task rebate or push in some money, especially now that the rumour has cost the Industry billions of Naira.
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