Situation grim; 1,695 Covid cases, 13 deaths in Himachal

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, April 19

The worsening coronavirus situation has increased the worries of businessmen and tourism stakeholders in the district. Traders apprehend that due to the recent spike in Covid cases in the state and other parts of the country, a lockdown may be imposed again, leading to a bigger crisis.

The traders say that the economy was derailed last year due to the lockdown and if a similar situation arises this year, their survival would be jeopardized. They add that the arising situation can again cause huge financial losses to businessmen. They urge the government not to impose a lockdown.

The tourism industry of the region has again been hit hard due to the surge in Covid cases and the restrictions imposed by some states. The tourist influx in Kullu and Manali from December 2020 to March 2021 was good but now various tourist spots in the region wear a deserted look. Many hoteliers have been forced to lay off employees, as the tourist footfall has decreased drastically and there is no business. Travel agents, hoteliers, transporters, taxi unions, adventure activities operators and other beneficiaries of the tourism industry were hopeful of doing good business this year but the recent spike in Covid cases has them on the edge. Tourism is the only source of livelihood for a large number of local people and it is also the backbone of the local economy.

The hoteliers are keen to continue operations by following Covid prevention protocols but tourism has again come to a standstill. Though the government has not imposed stricter restrictions on tourists, not many are coming to the state due to the surge in Covid cases. The major tourist season here is from April to June but there has been a sharp decline in the number of visitors.

Manali Hoteliers Association president Anup Ram Thakur says that the streets in Manali wear a deserted look nowadays and the arrival of tourists is negligible. He adds that the hotel occupancy has nosedived and the number of tourists has decreased by about 95 per cent. The government should provide relief to the industry in electricity, pollution, water, sewerage, garbage and other related charges of hospitality units. House tax and interest on bank loans of the hospitality units should be waived for the no-business period. The government should also formulate a concrete plan to revive the tourism industry.

Caption: A street in Model Town of Manali wears a deserted look on Monday. Tribune photo

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