GUWAHATI, April 8 - The State tourism industry is likely to face a loss of around Rs 200 crore amid the coronavirus-induced medical emergency situation. According to a section of tour operators, ground-level employees of the sector including drivers and tourist guides have been suffering the most.
Talking about the estimated loss, president of the Tour Operators Association of Assam Ranjeet Das said, �The tourism industry of Assam has been going through a difficult stage since last December due to the law-and-order situation. In February the situation had improved, but now the coronavirus has posed a new challenge.�
Das said that more than five lakh families of the State have been affected due to the crisis in the tourism sector.
�In Assam, the peak season for the tourism industry is from December to May. Unfortunately, this time the whole season got affected. Personally I will be facing a loss of around Rs 30 lakh this time. Similar losses will be incurred by the other tour operators also because all of us have many financial liabilities. In such a situation we are clueless as to how to repay the bank loans and EMIs against vehicles,� he added.
Another tour operator Mukul Medhi said Assam�s tourism sector will face a long-term effect due to the present medical emergency situation.
�I think this situation will affect the flow of tourists in coming days too. Hence, we are clueless as to how to run the business. Around 200 drivers across the North East are working in my travel agency and at present all of them are jobless. During the peak season one driver earns up to Rs 50,000 per month. This year they will face extreme financial hardships during the off season. In such a situation I wonder how to pay salaries to other staff of my agency,� Medhi said.
Tour operator Arijit Purkayastha said that not only drivers and tourist guides, this time the local people of the State�s tourist spots also have suffered a lot, as normally most of them earn through various line businesses during the peak season.
�The situation is totally uncertain and it is really a challenge for the people of Assam. Especially in rural Assam, for many families homestay is a good source of income during the peak season. Again, as part of the tourism sector our village industry also earns a lot every year. This year all of them are suffering,� Purkayastha said.
GUWAHATI, April 8 - The State tourism industry is likely to face a loss of around Rs 200 crore amid the coronavirus-induced medical emergency situation. According to a section of tour operators, ground-level employees of the sector including drivers and tourist guides have been suffering the most.
Talking about the estimated loss, president of the Tour Operators Association of Assam Ranjeet Das said, �The tourism industry of Assam has been going through a difficult stage since last December due to the law-and-order situation. In February the situation had improved, but now the coronavirus has posed a new challenge.�
Das said that more than five lakh families of the State have been affected due to the crisis in the tourism sector.
�In Assam, the peak season for the tourism industry is from December to May. Unfortunately, this time the whole season got affected. Personally I will be facing a loss of around Rs 30 lakh this time. Similar losses will be incurred by the other tour operators also because all of us have many financial liabilities. In such a situation we are clueless as to how to repay the bank loans and EMIs against vehicles,� he added.
Another tour operator Mukul Medhi said Assam�s tourism sector will face a long-term effect due to the present medical emergency situation.
�I think this situation will affect the flow of tourists in coming days too. Hence, we are clueless as to how to run the business. Around 200 drivers across the North East are working in my travel agency and at present all of them are jobless. During the peak season one driver earns up to Rs 50,000 per month. This year they will face extreme financial hardships during the off season. In such a situation I wonder how to pay salaries to other staff of my agency,� Medhi said.
Tour operator Arijit Purkayastha said that not only drivers and tourist guides, this time the local people of the State�s tourist spots also have suffered a lot, as normally most of them earn through various line businesses during the peak season.
�The situation is totally uncertain and it is really a challenge for the people of Assam. Especially in rural Assam, for many families homestay is a good source of income during the peak season. Again, as part of the tourism sector our village industry also earns a lot every year. This year all of them are suffering,� Purkayastha said.
