COVID-19 repercussions: Tour operators in doldrums as many abort travel plans
Kolkata: In wake of the Corona endemic, tour operators are in a fix after restrictions were put forth for tourists travelling to Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
"Coronavirus has ruined our business. People who had booked their tickets for Darjeeling and Kalimpong and other tourists spots are constantly cancelling their tickets over the past few weeks due to the Coronavirus scare. Our business is down by 95 per cent," said Ashfaque Ali, director of Saima Forex Pvt Ltd (International and Domestic Air Tickets).
In a first-ever travel restriction in Bengal owing to COVID-19, tourists will be restricted in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills from March 19 to April 15. This was decided at a high-level meeting of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), district administration, police and different stakeholders in Darjeeling on Wednesday.
"March and April is the peak season when people from Kolkata go to Darjeeling. This apart, 40 per cent of Bangladeshi tourists who visit Kolkata during summer also prefer to go to the Hills. This year, the scenario is different. At present, people from Bangladesh is not coming to Kolkata due to Coronavirus," said Suman Kalian Chowdhury of Soudia/ S Alam Paribahan.
"There are no customers. We closed our shops on March 17 and March 18," said Zaki Anwar, owner of ZNA Tours and Travels.
It is estimated that as a result of this pandemic, the Indian Tourism industry is looking at pan India bankruptcies, closure of businesses and mass unemployment. It is believed that around 70 per cent out of a total estimated workforce of 5.5 crore (direct and indirect) could be unemployed (3.8 crore).
A large per cent of total tourism business activity of India, which is estimated at around $ 28 billion in forex and upwards of Rs 2 lakh crore in domestic tourism activity will be at economic risk throughout the year. Thus, in excess of Rs 5 lakh crore of direct tourism industry and almost double that of total economic activity is at risk.
In this backdrop, The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), the umbrella body of the industry has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to highlight the devastating economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the tourism industry and seek his intervention in terms of financial relief for the industry to grapple with the situation.
Meanwhile, the state Transport department has started putting up stickers related to guidelines of Coronavirus in buses.
"We are trying to ensure that public transportation stays as safe as possible," said Rajanvir Singh Kapur, managing director of West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC).
The department had on March 13 launched a drive to disinfect all of its buses in depots on a regular basis in the wake of Coronavirus outbreak.
Kolkata Metro Railway also organised a Coronavirus awareness campaign.
"In order to make Metro officers and staff aware about Coronavirus threat, the medical department has been organising Coronavirus campaigns on regular basis. As part of this campaign, an interactive session on Coronavirus infection was organised today (March 19) at Noapara Carshed," said Kolkata Metro Railway chief public relations officer Indrani Banerjee.
During the session, medical officers interacted with Metro staff and guided them about what needs to be done at this crucial moment.
Indian Railways has also discouraged senior citizens from undertaking non-essential journeys, by removing special incentives which presently exist for their travel. There will be no concession on reserved and unreserved railway tickets for senior citizens, with effect from Thursday midnight. For tickets already purchased before midnight, no difference in fare shall be collected.
Meanwhile, according to a senior official of Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), all the vessels with last Port of Call from China (Hong Kong and Macau), Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Malaysia and Philippines will be quarantined for a period of 14 days. The instruction shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently.
