Chikungunya, dengue outbreak in city could result in loss to tourism

In order to take necessary steps in this direction, the industry body has asked the Central and state governments to deal with the outbreak on a war footing to avoid an adverse effect on the tourism industry of the region. If the epidemic is not controlled in time, it is expected to result in a loss of the tourism and aviation industries, said the industry association. “The USA embassy in New Delhi has issued a health advisory for its tourists visiting India, saying on their website that outbreaks of mosquito-borne viral diseases such as dengue and chikungunya are taking place in various parts of India each year. 

Earlier, the UK embassy had issued a health advisory on chikungunya sharing vital information about its symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and epidemiology,” said D S Rawat, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM. He further informed that Delhi registers about 35 per cent of India’s total foreign tourist influx as they use the national Capital as a transit during their travel. The industrialists in the tourism sector are keeping their fingers crossed as the peak season of tourism will start in October. 

“In the middle of reports of the 10th death from the vector-borne disease, the inbound tourist operators are keeping a close watch on the situation,” he added. In all, the monthly foreign exchange earnings from the foreign tourists’ arrivals are between $1.5-2 billion a month during the winter season. 

“Delhi being hit worst, the number of tourists visiting Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and other locations in the western state is coming down drastically with the state government itself cautioning tourists against the disease,” cautioned Rawat. 

In the winter season, around three lakh foreign tourists visit the Golden triangle Circuit of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur, accounting for about 30 per cent of the total number of the inbound traffic in the country. The ASSOCHAM has cautioned the government that with increasing cases of chikungunya and dengue and the kind of negative reaction on the tourists, the traffic is set to drop drastically, leaving a bruising impact on businesses such as hotels, airlines, taxi operators, restaurants etc.