Hotel booking company OYO has launched new policy for partner hotels baring unmarried couples from checking in. The new guidelines will be effective this year.
The revised policy will require all couples to present proof of their relationship while checking-in, including for online bookings. The policy empowers OYO’s partner hotels to decline couple bookings based on their judgment, the company told PTI.
OYO has given the directive to its partner hotels in Meerut to ensure this with immediate effect. The company may expand this policy to more cities after feedback, PTI report mentioned, citing people familiar with the policy.
"OYO has received feedback in the past from civil society groups especially in Meerut urging action to address this issue. Additionally, residents from few other cities have petitioned for disallowing unmarried couples to check-in at OYO hotels," they said.
Pawas Sharma, region head, OYO North India, told PTI, "OYO is committed to upholding safe and responsible hospitality practices. While we respect individual freedoms and personal liberty, we also recognise our responsibility to listen to and work with the law enforcement and civil society groups in the micro markets we operate in. We will continue to review this policy and its impact periodically."
However, this policy change is not based on any legal grounds as there are no laws to prohibit consenting adults from booking a hotel room together. In fact, years back, OYO had introduced a new feature that allowed unmarried couples to book rooms in some of its properties.
OYO website even quoted the company's chief growth officer Kavikrut as saying, "There is no law in India that prohibits hotels from hosting unmarried guests, or those who belong to the same city as the hotel's location. However, some hotels have a restricted check-in criteria. We have simply made it more transparent and easy for couple-guests to discover the hotels that offer them a seamless check-in upon furnishing of the requisite ID proofs."
The move is a part of OYO's programme to transform outdated perception and project itself as a brand providing safe experience for families, students, business, religious and solo travellers, the company said.
Moreover, the programme aims to encourage longer stays and repeat bookings, enhancing customer trust and loyalty.
OYO has started pan-India initiatives such as joint seminars on safe hospitality with police and hotel partners, blacklisting hotels reportedly promoting immoral activities and initiating actions against unauthorised hotels using OYO branding, it added.
(With inputs from PTI.)
