Tourists, both domestic and foreign, were in a strange shock on 17 March when they were turned away from the Taj Mahal as the Archaeological Survey of India decided to close all the monuments and protected sites in the wake of the global coronavirus epidemic.
The last time the Taj Mahal was closed to tourists in independent India was during the Indo-Pak war of 1971.
Tourism has been hampered due to the coronovirus epidemic. Some of the worst affected states include Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 15.4% of all domestic tourists and Maharashtra, which accounts for about a quarter of international tourist arrivals in 2018.
Colaba and Apollo Bandar, the hub of the bustling tourist destinations of South Mumbai – home to the colonial era monument, the Gateway of India – are empty. Even the ghats that go from mainland landmarks like Aurangabad and Alibaug to the port have stopped.
Suhas Chatkara, co-founder of Rooted India, a Mumbai-based tour organizer, said he lost about ₹ 40 to cell 50 lakh in cancellations of bookings made in April and May, usually due to summer holidays in schools and colleges. In the busy months.
“Of all the regions, tourism was a hit first and will take the longest to recover. But we remain hopeful that once the curse is lifted, domestic tourists will begin to move; International tourism may take longer as the ban on air travel will continue, ”said Director General (Tourism) Meenakshi Sharma. Domestic tourists account for a large share of the annual income.
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Pranab Sarkar of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the apex body of inbound tour-operators, said that there have been no new bookings since March. “It can take us 12 to 24 months to get back to normal levels of operation.”
