Beach resorts do brisk business during yuletide

Yuletide 2004 witnessed the killer waves of tsunami striking Chennai coasts. But after one year of the disaster, beach resorts continue to do brisk business as tourists seem to prefer them to the business hotels in the city.

Preet Inder Singh, general manager, Taj Fisherman's Cove told Business Standard that the beach resort had been fully occupied and that the tsunami does not seem to have a long-term impact on beach tourism. About 70 per cent of the tourists are from abroad.

Tsunami had damaged few of the cottages of Fisherman's Cove and GRT Temple Bay's, two beach resorts situated along the East Coast Road near the seashore.

A senior official from GRT Hotels and Resorts said that while Temple Bay had 100 per cent occupancy, the occupancy has dropped at its business hotel, GRT Grand, during the last one week.

However he pointed out that business hotels will start witnessing full occupancy from January first week to March.

Another official from Le Royal Meridien said that yuletide, a period extending from December 24 to January 6, is a lean period for business hotels as most business travellers would be on a holiday. In order to attract customers during this period, business hotels give weekend packages, he added.

However, Singh said that this year had been good for the industry as the occupancy levels remained high at about 90 per cent for both business hotels as well as beach resorts, throughout the year.

Chennai's hotel scenario is dominated by business hotels. The peak season for business hotels in the city is usually the period between October and March.

As a mark of condolence and regard for the lives lost in tsunami last year, hotels in Chennai have called off their New Year celebrations.