Kolkata: Stakeholders from the tourism industry in Bengal have urged the state government to come up with a standard operating procedure (SOP) and a monitoring
mechanism for the tourism industry which has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The stakeholders voiced their appeal to the state
government through symbolic peaceful demonstrations at a number of districts
across the state including Kolkata. "The stakeholders are ready to open up the sector adhering to Covid protocols pertaining to health and hygiene. But we believe that the administration should come up with a fool proof scientific protocol for the opening of the tourism sector. The government should form a monitoring cell and if needed the stakeholders may also be a party to it," said Nilanjan Basu, General Secretary of Travel Agents Association of Bengal (TAAB) .
The tourism sector has sporadically opened up in some tourist places since the unlock period but there has often been closures with the local
community protesting
against tourist visits raising apprehension of spread of Covid virus.
"Unless we have a proper opening protocol there may be repetition of such incidents and complaints may also come from tourists regarding flouting of COVID protocols against certain stakeholders. This will not augur well for the industry," said a stakeholder from the hotel industry.
He also added that
apart from crafting a robust plan for the growth of tourism on a long term basis, the state
government can help us with a target bound awareness campaign to save our industry.