The unprecedented phenomenon, COVID-19 has affected the entire hospitality industry worldwide, by impacting occupancy and sustainability. At OYO Hotels & Homes we understand our role in these incredibly challenging times and more so when people are counting on us like never before. Continuing the fight against COVID-19, we at OYO have announced two initiatives- ‘Donate A Night’ and ‘Book A Night for self-isolation’ to support the Government of India in its efforts to break the chain, by flattening the curve and maintaining the necessary nationwide lockdown.
Around the nation, medical professionals and first responders are working tirelessly to meet the rising needs and challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis. Besides first respondents, there are migrants who have also been stranded with limited access to accommodation owing to the preventive 21-day lockdown. To support such groups and ensure their wellbeing, we have gone live with ‘Donate A Night’, a crowdfunding campaign across our platforms including the OYO app. To support such groups and ensure their wellbeing, we have gone live with ‘Donate A Night’* a crowdfunding campaign across our platforms including the OYO app. Through this initiative, we encourage everyone to contribute by donating a sanitized and safe room to our medical professionals, government workers and migrant workers who are still out there fighting the battle against COVID-19. We request everyone to pass on the word and bring your friends, families and loved ones together by helping us flatten the curve with ‘Donate A Night’. You can start filling in your details by using the link mentioned below.
Our second initiative, ‘Book A Night for Self-isolation’ aims to support those individuals who require or have been advised to self isolate themselves. These include domestic and international tourists among others who require safe and hygienic pay-per-use self-quarantine facilities, at affordable prices. We have already opened doors to several properties spread across major hotspots of Mumbai, Gurgaon, Pune, Hyderabad and Noida. We will be providing preventive and contactless support to individuals; including stay, meals, WiFi connectivity, and proper waste management through local municipal agencies. We have also formulated certain guidelines to ensure the highest levels of hygiene, health and safety of guests and our on-ground employees.
We are also working with a broad cross-section of corporates and public and private organisations to ensure that any of their employees impacted by the lockdown are able to avail affordable, accessible accommodation options in certain OYO hotels identified to help those who are stranded.
Commenting on the company’s initiatives to curb the pandemic, Rohit Kapoor, CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes, India SA said, “This is a difficult time for all of us around the world but it’s also a time to step forward and pull together all our limited resources. While the medical community and essential services professionals are doing their part at the frontlines, it is our responsibility and duty as good corporate citizens to support those who support us. While the entire country is under lockdown in an effort to self-isolate and control the outbreak for the greater good, there are many migrants and international tourists that are struggling to find hygienic and safe accommodation.”
With Donate A Night and Book A Night, we open doors to our hotels and extend our full support to our frontline heroes, caregivers and symptomatic individuals. We urge each and every one of our employees, asset partners and consumers to support this cause by donating one night’s accommodation for those who haven’t been able to safely self-isolate.”
The government of India on March 24, released the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines for the 21 days nationwide lockdown, which recognises under point 7, that while hospitality services will be suspended, the following exceptions will be made:
- Hotels, homestays, lodges and motels which are accommodating tourists and persons stranded due to lockdown, medical and emergency staff, sea and aircrew.
- Establishments used/earmarked for quarantine facilities
In accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Government of India, we at OYO will continue with our two-pronged efforts by minimising the possibility of infection and maximising social distancing and hygiene. Recently, we also joined forces with Apollo Hospitals as a part of Apollo’s Project Stay I (Stay isolated) to develop and support accommodation requirements of suspected COVID-19 patients who would be requiring quarantine or self-isolation.
Since Travel, Hospitality & Tourism sectors have been among the worst affected by COVID-19, our Founder & Group CEO, Ritesh Agarwal recently announced his decision to forego 100% of his compensation for 2020, while OYOs entire executive leadership (CXOs) team are taking a voluntary pay cut, starting at 25%, with many opting for an additional uncapped amount, and some going up to 50% to enable building the necessary runway for the company. We have also facilitated accommodation support to international tourists and engaged with multiple foreign embassies and diplomatic missions in India.
We will continue to assess the situation and keep going the extra mile in order to ensure the trust people place in us by offering everyone clean and sanitized accommodations. Your safety and well being are of paramount importance to all of us at OYO Hotels & Homes.
*T&C – A maximum of 7 complimentary room nights per person will be available to people under this initiative. Complimentary room nights will be available on a first-come-first served basis, subject to conditions received.
