Tirupati: The impact of GST was felt in the temple cities of Tirumala and Tirupati. Lord Venkateswara, the richest deity in world, attracts crores of tourists every year and the GST slabs will adversely affect pilgrims coming to Tirupati.
According to hotels associations in Tirupati, there are more than 350 plus restaurants and over 200 hotels with boarding and lodging facilities which will be hit.
The hospitality industry plays a vital role in Tirupati and hundreds of lodges operate in the city.
The lodges which provide rooms at a low tariff were left free of tax earlier with a five per cent luxury tax but GST has made only rooms with less than '1,000 exempt of tax. Most of the hotels charge a minimum of a Rs 1,000 and this attracts a 12 per cent tax. GST effect will also hit temple administrative body TTD.
“TTD is not exempted from GST. Srivari laddu’s making cost is about Rs 34, TTD is selling the same at Rs 25 and Rs 10 for some sections,” says a senior official at TTD.
