Chandigarh: CITCO told to set clear criteria for discounts

CITCO managing director Yashpal Garg told officials that the criteria for discounts at hotels should be known to all guests and be available on the corporation’s website to bring transparency and fairness

Coming down heavily on the way discounts are being given out at Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation (CITCO) Hotels, managing director Yashpal Garg on Friday told the corporation’s officials that it should be based on certain objective criteria rather than pick-and-choose basis.

Chandigarh, India September 05, 2018::View of Hotel Shivalikview at Sector17 in Chandigarh on Wednesday, 05 September 2018.Photo by Keshav Sigh/Hindustan Times.

Expressing disappointment at the CITCO officials, Garg said, “If we are allowing a certain average discount to almost all walk-in customers, then instead of bargaining in each case, we should allow it to all customers and remaining discounts should be extended based on specific criteria. The criteria should be known to all guests and be available on the corporation’s website to bring transparency and fairness.”

Garg had held a marathon meeting with the officials on Thursday. He said, “The in-charges need to make their best effort by contacting potential customers with aggressive marketing strategies instead of wasting their time in bargaining even for the discount which they are eventually extending.”

The criteria may be developed at their levels and after approval from the undersigned, they should be displayed in the hotel and be widely publicised for better business prospects, Garg directed.

Questioning the business acumen of the GM/DGMs, Garg said, “Some of us don’t know even know the basic business strategy where break-even point is decided on the basis of variable cost and not on the basis of total cost.”

Further castigating the working of some of the officials, Garg, said, “One of GM/DGM was not aware of the average occupancy of the hotel during the last few months/weeks. He didn’t even know the average discount on each category room being allowed by the front-desk on his behalf. In fact, the ongoing rack-rate for each category of room was also not readily available with him.”

Avail festive discounts till Oct 31

In view of the upcoming festive season, CITCO has decided to offer discounts of up to 35% for room bookings at Hotel Mountview, Hotel Shivalikview and Hotel Parkview from October 11 to 31.

In Hotel Mountview, discount for business standard room is 25%, and for executive room and royale suites, it is 35%. In Shivalikview, discount on regular and semi-deluxe room is 30%. For standard room, deluxe room and suite, and premium suite, it is 25%. To utilise these offers, guests can directly walk in to any of CITCO hotels.