CORONA AND TOURISM

Nearly one and half year long COVID 19 is down though not out. And people are fed-up with a monotonous lifestyle, following work from home culture. Vaccination drive will be almost over by this year, and we are celebrating a billion people taking jabs. Domestic tourists are looking for quick local getaways on weekends, mostly via road.

As an Airbnb and YouGov survey on future trends of tourism reflects, Indian travellers are planning for nature travel to recharge themselves from the mundane lifestyle following lockdowns and travel restrictions imposed by state governments.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), international tourism has witnessed a loss of $1.3 trillion in 2020, while the Indian tourism industry saw a revenue loss of $ 1.25 trillion, according to a CARE Ratings study.

States that are getting maximum tourists are Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Kerala and Goa. Northeast is slowly coming up. People these days are not in a hurry to visit many places in a limited time. Solo travel is also trending. If we  talk about Indian travelers, as noted by travel agencies, there is a growing demand for off-beat tourism, which is  affordable and offers adventure too, while helping local communities.

Harsh Goenka, Chairman, RPG Enterprises, says, “Tourism will come back with a vengeance. People would like to visit natural surroundings, more sustainable spots, more remote locations, more authentic experiences; but all this is supported with digital solutions and modern amenities.”

The Union Government has come out with its own concepts like Swadesh Dashan, Dekho India Dekho, Buddhist Circuits, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conference Exhibition). States and UTs even Jammu and Kashmir have also opened their doors to tourists despite ongoing violence and visitors are going without much trouble. Tour operators and hotels have come out with novel ideas of mix and match like juggling tourism with other amenities. People on their own have come out with “Caravan Tourism” with big vehicles which act as accommodation.

Source: Himalayan News Chronicle