Chennai, May 30 (IANS): Hotels and restaurants across Tamil Nadu downed shutters on Tuesday in protest against the levy of 12-28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) which they said will affect tourism in the state.

However, small and roadside eateries functioned as usual.

The dawn-to-dusk (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) shutdown call was given by the Tamil Nadu Hotels and Restaurant Association and is supported by the South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA).

"Due to the hotel strike we went to Puducherry to a friend's place from Thanjavur enroute to Chennai. Had the hotels functioned as usual we would have stayed back in Thanjavur a day more," J. Nitya, a housewife told IANS.

In a statement issued earlier, SIHRA said the hospitality and hotel industry was suffering since 2009 due to economic and other conditions.

"Recently, the Supreme Court came with a judgement preventing any liquor sales within 500 metres of the National and State Highways, crippling the business of hotels which are located on the arterial roads," it added.