Telangana: Plea to ban smoking in hotels, restaurants

Hyderabad: Telangana State Hotels Association demanded the State Government to ban smoking in hotels and restaurants. The Association Chairman MS Nagaraju said that restaurants and hotels that do not permit smoking are attracting more customers and business.

Going completely smoke-free is improving profits and saving costs for them. The hospitality sector is opting out of allowing smoking in their premises, as their contribution towards safeguarding the health of their employees and customers, especially during the pandemic.

The association leader said, "There is growing trend in restaurants and hotels to do away with smoking in their premises and become 100 per cent smoke-free.

This changing mind-set is to attract families with children and senior citizens who prefer to dine in restaurants and reside in hotels which do not allow any smoking in their premises." Smoke-free policies have a positive economic impact on business and do not cause adverse economic outcomes from business, including restaurant and bars, Nagaraju asserted.