The year 2020 was absolutely nothing quick of a nightmare for us and travel and tourism sector bore the brunt of Covid Pandemic and lockdown. However, in a ray of hope, the undaunting spirit and indelible essence of people today for the travel maintain the tourism sector afloat against a higher tide of losses. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government has taken an array of initiatives to provide thrust to the wealthy culture of tourism in India.
In a glimmer of hope for the travel and tourism market, winter vacation season witnessed a favourable development as more and more people today gathered the courage to step out braving the ongoing Covid pandemic. In truth, the Travel market began to bounce back gradually from October’s festive season and travellers then packed their bags for the year-finish trips. The starting of 2021 appears promising as a healthful quantity of people today from Tier 3 and Tier 3 cities in India planned their subsequent holiday for the early component of this year. While security and hygiene remained the topmost concentrate for travellers, 2021 could prove to be the year of road trips. During the fag finish of 2020, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, components of Rajasthan, Goa, and Kerala became preferred tourist destinations for travellers in India.
At the starting of 2020, when Covid did not hit India, Ministry of Tourism organized the “Bharat Parv” at the Gyan Path and Red Fort Ground, Delhi from January 26 to January 31, 2020, as a component of the Republic Day Celebrations. The theme of the Bharat Parv was ‘150 Years of Mahatma’ and ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’. With an aim to boost the general knowledge of vacationers by generating a pool of neighborhood, educated experts, the Ministry of Tourism has launched the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme. Meanwhile, Incredible India Website was launched in Chinese, Arabic and Spanish languages to attract vacationers from these regions, the Ministry of Tourism stated in a statement.
The central government launched the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ initiative in January 2020 with the objective of generating awareness amongst the citizens about the wealthy heritage and culture of the nation and encourage citizens to travel inside the nation. To develop mass awareness, the Ministry has also launched an on the internet Dekho Apna Desh pledge and Quiz on the MyGov.in platform, the Ministry of Tourism stated in the statement.
As Covid hit India forcing the suspension of international flights, the Ministry of Tourism set up a portal ‘Stranded in India’ in order to facilitate and extend help to foreign vacationers who have been stranded in the nation on account of cancellation of flights and throughout the lockdown. The portal helped vacationers get data and information of State and UT Tourism Departments and Regional Offices of the Ministry of Tourism.
In order to make certain adherence with the COVID-19 security and hygiene protocol, the Central government undertook an initiative named System for Assessment, Awareness and Training for Hospitality Industry (SAATHI) in association with the Quality Council of India (QCI) for helpful implementation of Guidelines or SOPs issued with reference to COVID-19 and beyond for protected operations of Hotels, Restaurants. As on date, 6810 accommodation units have been self-certified on the SAATHI portal, the Ministry of Tourism stated in a statement.
Ministry of Tourism has been frequently working to market the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat by way of different activities even throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
With Budget 2021 is much less than a month away, the Tourism market is looking for favourable announcements from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. People connected with the travel market are also eagerly waiting for the Covid-19 vaccination to commence as they claimed that immunisation against the hugely contagious illness would encourage more people today to step out and invest leisure instances in favourite destinations.