Govt. should keep its promise of affordability, says OYO CEO

Hospitality start-up OYO is now training its focus on providing higher quality and better value stays through its newly launched 'OYO Townhouse'.

Re-engineering the concept of hospitality, the company has positioned the new category as a friendly neighborhood hotel targeted at millenials.

With the budget only a few days away, Founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal believes that with aggressive plans to expand in the townhouse category, more money needs to be allocated towards infrastructural development in the country. "There is a huge scope for expansion of tourism in India with the constructions of better roads, airports, highways and so on. Therefore, it is essential that the government considers this in the budget," Agarwal told ANI.

"It is important for the government to focus on the middle class while drafting the GST. For example, the omission of service tax on rooms below Rs. 1000 has not been reflected in the first draft. Since our country has a large middle-class population, including this would be very beneficiary for us, keeping in line with our promise of affordability," added Agarwal.

OYO Townhouse is a new-age traveler's hotel, with of a wholesome community experience. The townhouse is located in prime areas of the city to ensure that travelers are well connected to important tourist destinations. Consisting of hotel rooms, a cafe, community and stores, the project caters to travelers as well as city dwellers.

OYO, which currently operates over 70,000 rooms in 200 cities in India and Malaysia, has said that the Townhouse category will be designed to complement the neighbourhood, and the breakfast menu and booking process have been re engineered to offer higher quality and better value.