Shimla, May 15
Himachal Pradesh Tourism and Hospitality Industry the most affected by the COVID pandemic lockdown has constituted nine members panel to suggest measure to kick start the state hospitality industry which is on a grinding halt for the last two months when the state tourism season should be on a peak. This was stated by the President of Tourism industry Stakeholder Association Mohinder Seth in a press statement.
“The Association has constituted a nine-member panel that would suggest different measures to state government to bring the tourism industry back on the track. ” said Seth.
This industry is most affected in Himachal during the pandemic compared to states like Goa, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala added Seth, comparing that for them it is off-season from March to November and thus those states are lesser impacted.
The hill state’s hospitality industry have to bear double impact of the lockdown as two tourism seasons are looking to get washed.
The association which had no hope from month of April and May were keenly looking ahead that North Indian states like Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh would emerge in Green Zones, were likely to offer some business in the month of June.
But even this hope is also fading like a light in the end of the tunnel as including Himachal all these states are depicting a glooming picture ahead of the big surge in the pandemic with every passing day.
The hospitality industry’s last hope was also fading as expected footfall of tourists in the month of September and October is also mainly attributed to states like Bengal and Gujarat and both states are currently registering sharp increase of COVID 19 cases.
Seth mentions that one should not compared the hospitality with general business entities or shops as it is not easy to roll back operations to normal here, he informed. The industry has suffered an acute loss due to lockdown which could not be recovered for a long time, he added.
The industry hopes that the Government would come to rescue in a hard time and with other 10 hospitality associations/ bodies they would work out strategies or constituted panels to emerge out of peculiar situation in the present crisis, he added.
State hospitality economy contributes more than seven percent of the Gross Domestic Product of state (GDP) as the hill⁰aq state attracts a footfall of about 1.80 Crore per annum and helps number of people in the creation of self-employment and employment avenues.
